Kansas City Chiefs rookie Cyrus Allen sustained a lower leg injury during training camp practice on Saturday, the team confirmed. Allen, who had been a standout during early camp sessions, was hurt during a punt return drill.
According to reports, Allen collided with teammate Kaiir Elam while running downfield as a gunner. He remained on the ground with trainers attending to him before eventually being helped to his feet. He then left the practice field riding on the front of a cart, appearing to favor his left leg. The Chiefs are continuing to evaluate the injury.
The setback comes as Allen was competing for a roster spot and had drawn praise from coaches and teammates. Head coach Andy Reid noted on Friday that the quarterback trusted Allen, who caught five passes from Patrick Mahomes during 11-on-11 drills. Receiver Xavier Worthy also expressed confidence in Allen, stating his performance was not surprising.
Allen, 23, joined the Chiefs as a fifth-round pick from Cincinnati. In his senior season with the Bearcats, he recorded 51 receptions for 674 yards and a school-record 13 touchdowns. He had previously played at Louisiana Tech and Texas A&M. Allen had described his experience working with Mahomes as "surreal," drawing parallels to playing with him in the Madden video game series.