Kansas City Chiefs Trainer Rick Burkholder had an update on injured running back Spencer Ware on Sunday morning.
"(Ware) has a torn posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), and with that ligament often times with rehab you can play. His issue is that he also has some damage to what's called the posterolateral corner of his knee," Burkholder said. "That's the outside back portion of his knee that's made up of ligaments and tendons. He damaged those and, at this point in time, our medical staff believes that he needs season-ending surgery to correct that problem. Like with all these significant injuries, we'll exhaust all our options, look at second opinions and do what's best for his knee and his career. We're in that space now where we're still evaluating what's going on, but our medical staff believes that he needs surgery."
Ware suffered the injury on Kansas City's opening drive in last Friday's preseason loss to Seattle and was carted off the field. The four-year veteran was the Chiefs' leading rusher last season with 921 yards.
In addition to Ware, defensive lineman Bennie Logan and defensive backs Jacoby Glenn (concussion), Steven Nelson (groin) and Ron Parker (sprained ankle) did not practice on Sunday.
Another defensive back, Terrance Mitchell, will start easing back into practice this week, according to Head Coach Andy Reid. Mitchell has been absent from practice since Aug. 13 with a hamstring strain.
"He's doing well on the rehab part," Reid said. "There's a chance he takes a few snaps in practice just to see where he's at. He probably won't play in the game, but he'll start easing back into practice. He's heading in the right direction, we're just taking the steps on that. He had a pretty good tweak there."
Reid also provided an update on linebacker Justin Houston, who missed Friday's game in Seattle with an illness.
"We've had a little bit of this going around," Reid said. "(Defensive lineman Tanoh Kpassagnon) had the same thing. We have a couple guys that are feeling a little queasy in the stomach, so hopefully we'll nail this. Those guys are doing better. We have a couple of other guys that are trying to shake it off a little bit."
The Chiefs have a short week of practice as they close out the preseason against the Tennessee Titans on Thursday night at Arrowhead Stadium. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. CT on KCTV5.
