Kadarius Toney gets embroiled in a major controversy! And this may well impact the Chiefs’ chances of winning the Super Bowl. It seems like deja vu. Well, not exactly. Remember the Cincinnati Bengals hid the information that Joe Burrow’s wrist was injured? The detectives at NFL got to work and uncovered the lie. And they penalized him and the team heavily for it. But of course, as it later unfolded, the NFL rescinded the penalty. They later found that the Bengals had complied.
However, instead of hiding an injury, the Chiefs could be faking one. And the victim is star wideout Kadarius Toney. The situation got even murkier when the WR himself called out the lie.
Kadarius Toney to play in the Super Bowl?
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It’s been a rollercoaster ride! All eyes were on the Chiefs’ WR in the lead-up to the AFC title game. He was listed as “questionable” due to a hip problem. However, the plot thickened. The injury description suddenly shifted to “hip/personal.” The Chiefs announced on X that Toney wouldn’t be hitting the gridiron.
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
The curveball? James Palmer revealed on X that Toney had become a first-time dad to a baby girl late Saturday night. Okay, personal stuff, right? But here’s where it gets interesting. On Sunday, the WR went live on Instagram, dropping a not-so-family-friendly rant about his supposed “injury.” He said, “I’m not hurt.”
We still don’t know if the team is correct or Toney. His status for the Super Bowl is even more in doubt. If the team sorts it out amongst themselves, he might. But if the NFL gets involved, then what?
How could the NFL punish the Chiefs?
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The Chiefs might be stepping on thin ice! Toney’s no-holds-barred comments on Instagram could spell trouble for the team. And their next game is not ordinary — it’s the Super Bowl! The NFL takes injury reporting seriously. Teams are supposed to report on fitness issues. And if you try to fake injuries, there’s a price to pay.
Remember the Pittsburgh Steelers and Mike Tomlin? They coughed up $75,000 and $25,000 for not accurately reporting Ben Roethlisberger’s injury in 2019. Talk about a costly slip-up! Now, could the Chiefs dodge the bullet? It’s a waiting game. Maybe they’ll sneak by if Toney’s absence is chalked up to “personal” rather than a legit injury.
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Of course, there’s the burning question to answer. He committed crucial mistakes in his last two games of the season. Will he get to play in the Super Bowl against the 49ers to redeem himself?
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