The Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers only have three full days of rest between their Week 16 games on Saturday and their approaching blockbuster meeting on Christmas Day.
Both teams played a Sunday game in Week 15, so their Christmas game will be their third in 11 days. The short schedule, meant to promote Netflix’s first-ever live NFL broadcast, has sparked questions about player safety.
The Chiefs’ first injury report of the week, which included key players Patrick Mahomes and Chris Jones, had an unexpected twist because the club did not practice on Sunday.
Mahomes, a veteran quarterback, was designated as a full participant despite previously suffering an ankle injury in Kansas City’s win over the Cleveland Browns on December 15. He started Saturday’s game against the Houston Texans and rushed for 33 yards, alleviating concerns about his ankle.
Meanwhile, defensive line anchor Jones was listed as “DNP” on the injury report due to a calf problem. However, the team website made it clear that it was a “estimated” injury report given the unusual circumstances.
Despite the fact that Sunday was a day off, both teams were obligated by league rules to release injury reports. The NFL refers to the policy as a “cornerstone of public confidence,” despite the fact that it contains no new information.
“It will not be a regular thing,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said of this year’s tight Christmas schedule, which falls on a Wednesday.
“The time period between games has been done before,” Goodell noted, assuaging player safety fears. “We have not seen any rise of injuries… “I think we’ve got this.”
