Against all odds, Jerick McKinnon seems set to play in Super 58 after all. Barely more than five weeks after undergoing core muscle surgery, the Kansas City Chiefs' veteran running back is “expected to go” against the San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas on Sunday.
“There is a good chance the #Chiefs will have RB Jet McKinnon today. He’s considered a game time decision but he’s expected to go per source. Remarkable that’s he’s been able to get himself ready for this game,” James Palmer of NFL Network reported.
The safe assumption was that McKinnon's season was over when he was placed on injured reserve just before Christmas. After he went under the knife on January 2nd to address a core muscle injury and fractured pelvis, pretty much no one outside the team or McKinnon's inner circle believed he might be ready to play in his second straight Super Bowl.
The Chiefs opened McKinnon's practice window on February 3rd, though, allowing for the possibility he'd suit up with the Vince Lombardi Trophy on the line. Then on Saturday, Kansas City activated McKinnon from injured reserve, sparking more realistic optimism he would play vs. San Francisco.
McKinnon last played in the Chiefs' win over the New England Patriots on December 17th. He finished the regular season with 21 rushes for 60 yards and a touchdown plus 25 catches for 192 yards and four scores, serving primarily as Kansas City's top third-down running back.
With McKinnon seemingly back in the fold, expect him to see plenty of snaps on third down or in obvious passing situations, where his reliable blocking, soft hands and ability to make the first man miss helped the 32-year-old revitalize his career with the Chiefs over the past three seasons. Clyde Edwards-Helaire will also see time in the backfield behind bellcow runner Isaiah Pacheco.
Super Bowl LVIII kicks off at 3:30 p.m. (PT).