Tight end Travis Kelce would likely have been able to play if Chiefs had advanced

A day after a helmet-to-helmet hit left him wobbly and concussed, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce received a positive prognosis from his coach.

Speaking to reporters Sunday, Chiefs coach Andy Reid said that Kelce had improved after absorbing the second-quarter blast from Tennessee Titans safety Johnathan Cyprien. The hit knocked Kelce out of the game Saturday.

“He seems good,” Reid said. “He probably would have been all right for the upcoming week.”

Kelce was diagnosed with a concussion as a result of the hit, which did not draw a flag. He needed the aid of teammate Albert Wilson to stand, and his steps were unsteady before he leaned into the arms of lineman Mitchell Schwartz to keep his balance. He was able to jog to the sideline before entering the locker room for concussion evaluation.

He had a productive first half, with four catches for 66 yards and a touchdown. But with Kelce sidelined, the Chiefs did not score in the second half. Quarterback Alex Smith threw for just 33 yards in the second half without Kelce, who led the team in receptions. He finished the regular season with 83 catches, 1,038 yards and eight touchdowns.

This story was originally published January 7, 2018 at 1:32 PM with the headline "Tight end Travis Kelce would likely have been able to play if Chiefs had advanced."