Chiefs are accused of lying about Kadarius Toney’s injury status; Toney is a healthy scratch for the Super Bowl.

FEBRUARY 11: According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Toney was not listed on the Chiefs’ final injury report for Super Bowl LVIII, but he is not anticipated to play in the championship game. Toney’s tenure in Kansas City may have come to an end with the clean cut.

JANUARY 28: Kadarius Toney has not appeared in a game since Week 16, capping up a miserable season with the Chiefs. The 2021 first-round pick’s career has been marred by injuries, and he is listed as unavailable for today’s AFC championship game because of a hip ailment. Toney seems to be contesting this classification.

During a furious Instagram Live diatribe, Toney used profanity to accuse the Chiefs of misrepresenting his injury. Prior to the wild-card and divisional round games, Toney was listed as out for Kansas City due to ankle and hip issues; this week, only a hip issue is mentioned.

Hours before the start of today’s game, Toney went on this tirade, which might have an impact on his future with the Chiefs considering his performance thus far. On Wednesday, Toney, who turned 25 on Saturday, participated fully in practice; however, on Thursday and Friday, he was categorized as limited. On Saturday, the team reduced Toney’s status to out. Toney has performed much below the Chiefs’ high expectations for a wide receiver this season, even though they had anticipated he would develop into a No. 1 player.

Toney was acquired before the 2022 trade deadline for third and sixth round selections, but in Kansas City and New York, he has shown himself to be untrustworthy. He was severely restricted by injuries while with the Giants, and they surfaced right after he was traded to the Chiefs. The shifty wide receiver has dealt with ankle, quad, oblique, and knee injuries over his three-year career since coming off the 2021 selection board 20th overall. Hamstring trouble basically wrecked his final weeks as a Giant. Reliability worries, which the Giants dealt Toney for, have persisted in Kansas City.

This summer, Toney tore his meniscus minutes into Chiefs training camp, but he recovered in time for the team’s opening game. Toney’s season has been the healthiest by far, but it has also drawn more attention to him due to consistency problems unrelated to his health. Toney’s drops were a part of the Chiefs’ ongoing receiving problems, and in a December close defeat to the Bills, his own go-ahead touchdown was nullified by an offside call. In Toney’s last game in which he was active, he mishandled a throw, resulting in an interception by Patrick Mahomes, which caused the star quarterback to express dismay.

Toney’s absence is also related to the birth of his daughter; the Chiefs have listed his absence as “hip/personal” in their roster. Putting aside Toney’s accusation, this outburst could be problematic for his future with the reigning champions. Although his Super Bowl-record punt return gave the Chiefs a boost in their close victory in Super Bowl LVII, Toney has only 27 receptions for 169 yards this season. However, his absence seems to have helped the 2023 team’s passing attack function more smoothly. Without unstable wideouts Toney and Skyy Moore available, the Chiefs have played better; Moore is still in the IR-return window.

After this season, it would cost the Chiefs $2.53 million to trade or cut Toney. His contract is up in one year. Even though the Florida alum has demonstrated an intriguing skill set, Toney’s worth has already fallen significantly during his time in New York, and as his third season comes to an end, it is clear that his trade value is low.