Chiefs’ Tyreek Hill returns to practice: ‘We’ll see how he does,’ Reid says

Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill took another step to returning to action Wednesday.

While coach Andy Reid stopped short of saying Hill would play against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday night, Reid announced that Hill would return to practice in some capacity.

“Tyreek will get out there and move around a little bit,” Reid said. “We’ll see how he does.”

Hill hasn’t played since a sternoclavicular joint injury in Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars and was originally projected to miss four to six weeks.

But Rick Burkholder, the Chiefs’ head athletic trainer, previously said that Hill should be considered week to week.

Meanwhile, the first hint that Hill might be close surfaced during pregame warm-ups in Week 4 at Ford Field, where the speedy wide receiver ran a few routes and caught passes from quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

The occasion marked the first time Mahomes was able to throw to Hill since the season opener, but Mahomes pointed out re-acclimating Hill to the offense should go without any hitches.

“I don’t think it will take long at all,” Mahomes said Wednesday. “I mean, we’ve worked all offseason, and then obviously work in training camp and everything like that.”

The Chiefs relied on Sammy Watkins, Demarcus Robinson, rookie Mecole Hardman and Byron Pringle during Hill’s absence, and the receivers proved they’ve been up to the task.

Through four weeks of action, Watkins has 23 catches for 365 yards and three touchdowns; Robinson has 14 catches for 250 yards and three touchdowns; Hardman has eight catches for 167 yards and two touchdowns; and Pringle helped set up the game-winning score in Week 4 with a 13-yard catch late in the game.

Ultimately, though, Hill brings a unique explosive element to the offense with his ability to take any touch the distance. And his availability for Sunday’s game will come down to how much he is able to do.

“I’m glad to have him out here this week and be able to kind of get back to throwing to him again,” Mahomes said.

The Chiefs also welcomed back running back Damien Williams (knee) to practice after he missed two straight games. Left tackle Eric Fisher, who underwent a sports hernia surgery two weeks ago, and linebacker Dorian O’Daniel (hamstring) did not practice Wednesday.

This story was originally published October 2, 2019 at 2:04 PM.