Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman seems unlikely to play according to head coach Andy Reid.
#Chiefs HC Andy Reid said today that he doubts WR Mecole Hardman (pelvis) can play in the Super Bowl.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) February 2, 2023
After sitting out since Week 9 with a pelvic injury, Hardman appeared in the AFC Championship Game against the Cincinnati Bengals. He still wasn’t 100% coming back from injury. He battled through discomfort and pain to help his team reach Super Bowl LVII. Hardman was awkwardly tackled and aggravated his pelvic injury at the AFC Championship.
Reid hasn’t ruled Hardman yet, but this seems as close as you can get to ruling a player without actually doing so. It’s safe to say that it would take a miraculous recovery for Hardman to get to a place where he can play in Arizona next weekend.
A 2019 NFL draft pick by the Chiefs, Hardman is in the final year of his rookie contract. He is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in March. With a weaker class of receiving talent, he may be one of the most coveted free agents around.
If this were the end of his time in Kansas City, Hardman would have finished his Chiefs career with 26 starts in 57 regular season appearances. He had 151 receptions for 2,088 receiving yards and 16 receiving touchdowns in those games. He also had 20 more carries for 125 yards and two touchdowns. On special teams, he had 62 punt returns for 555 yards and a touchdown.
Hardman appeared in 10 career playoff games, including Super Bowl LIV and Super Bowl LV. During those 10 games, he caught 22 passes for 226 yards and two scores. He also contributed 11 carries for 110 yards and a rushing touchdown.
For the Super Bowl, the Kansas City Chiefs are one point behind the favorites according to sportsbooks in Missouri.
