Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman, out with a knee injury since early December, will not be activated off injured reserve and is out for the season, coach Andy Reid told reporters on Wednesday.
Hardman was put on IR on Dec. 7. The day before, he suffered the injury, apparently during work in an on-field practice.
The 26-year-old was eligible to return for the final week of the season against the Denver Broncos. He will not play Sunday when the Chiefs host the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship Game.
Hardman signed a one-year deal with the Chiefs in June, just months after he caught the game-winning touchdown in Kansas City’s 25-22 overtime victory against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII.
A three-time Super Bowl champion, Hardman had 12 catches for 90 yards as well as five rushes for 62 yards and a touchdown this season. He also returned 20 punts and five kickoffs.
Hardman has 178 receptions for 2,302 yards and 16 touchdowns in 80 career games (28 starts) since being picked by the Chiefs in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He signed as a free agent with the New York Jets to start the 2023 season before being traded back to the Chiefs.
