The Kansas City Chiefs announced on Saturday that Kadarius Toney has a hip injury and therefore wouldn’t play in its AFC Championship game against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.
Toney has now fired back in a brief Instagram Live rant and said the Chiefs are lying about his injury designation.
“Man that s*** cap,” Toney said on Sunday. “I’m not hurt. None of that s***. Save that s***. … On God, not hurt. None of that.
“It go from hip to ankle to this to that.”
The embattled receiver, in theory, should be elated after celebrating the birth of his first child — a daughter — on Saturday.
Instead, he’s taking the Chiefs to task over social media.
Yes, the same Kansas City team that has stood by him as he’s struggled throughout the 2023 season. Whether it was the multiple dropped passes he had in the season opener versus the Detroit Lions. Or when he deleted his social media following that game when he received an avalanche of criticism.
Kadarius Toney had his first child tonight. A baby girl. That’s where the personal part of his designation came from. He’s also dealing with a hip injury that is keeping him out tomorrow. https://t.co/XxkqM7qI6s
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) January 28, 2024
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid continued to have his back even when his offsides penalty negated the go-ahead touchdown for Kansas City against the Buffalo Bills. But things started to crack as Toney refused to take accountability and his performance on the field didn’t improve.
Especially when his fifth and final dropped pass resulted in Mahomes being intercepted by the New England Patriots.
The Chiefs traded for Toney ahead of the 2022 trade deadline for a conditional third and sixth round pick to the New York Giants. While his record-breaking, 65-yard punt did help Kansas City win its second Super Bowl in four seasons, he simply hasn’t improved since landing in Missouri.
In seven games with the Chiefs in 2022, Toney caught for 14 of his 17 targets for 171 yards and two touchdowns — the first two scores of his career since being drafted in 2021.
This season, however, he’s accounted for 27 receptions in 38 targets for 169 yards and one touchdown. As a team, Kansas City led the league in dropped passes (44) and of his targets, Toney’s drop percentage (13.2) is one of the worst in the NFL.
This story will be updated.
Christine Lake is a sports fanatic who lives and breathes athletics. With an extensive background in sports journalism, he covers everything from major league championships to grassroots sports events. When she’s not on the field or at the stadium, you’ll find Christine coaching youth sports teams.
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