Chiefs Lose Key Starter To Injury: Report

Kansas City Chiefs starting middle linebacker Nick Bolton is reportedly "expected to miss roughly two months" due to "surgery on his dislocated wrist," a source with knowledge of the situation confirmed to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero on Monday (October 23).

"#Chiefs LB Nick Bolton will need surgery on his dislocated wrist and is expected to miss roughly two months, per source. A tough loss for the Kansas City D," Pelissero wrote on his X account.

Bolton, 23, was injured while tackling Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen during the Chiefs' 31-17 win at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday (October 22). The three-year veteran was seen attempting to get to Kansas City's sideline bench area before going down near the edge of the field and receiving attention from team medical personnel on his left wrist.

Bolton never returned to the game, despite being ruled as questionable. The former second-round pick recorded a team-best nine tackles before exiting Sunday's game.

Head coach Andy Reid had initially told reporters that Bolton was suspected to have dislocated his wrist.

"We're working on that now and we'll see how he does," Reid said during his postgame press conference via ArrowheadReport.com deputy editor Jordan Foote.

Bolton had previously missed the Chiefs' third and fourth games of the 2023 season due to an ankle injury. The former Missouri standout started in all 17 of Kansas City's regular-season games in 2022, as well as its three playoff games, which included recording a 36-yard fumble return for touchdown, as well as recording a team-best nine tackles in the team's Super Bowl LVII win against the Philadelphia Eagles.