Joe Thuney, a player for the Kansas City Chiefs, has been officially ruled out of Super Bowl LVIII due to an injury to his chest muscle. Thuney had previously missed the AFC Championship game against the Ravens due to the same injury, which he had sustained a week earlier while playing against the Dolphins. The head coach, Andy Reid, expressed doubt that Thuney would be able to play on Sunday, stating that it was unlikely. Thuney, who has won the Super Bowl three times, is considered one of the top linemen for the Chiefs. ESPN had rated him as the second-best interior offensive lineman in the NFL before the start of the season, highlighting his exceptional pass-blocking skills. Thuney has only missed two games in his seven seasons with both the Chiefs and the New England Patriots, where he also performed exceptionally well. Despite having a strong offensive line, the Chiefs value Thuney the most due to his consistent performance and rare mistakes.
Thuney was drafted by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He played in three consecutive Super Bowls from 2017 to 2019, winning two of them with the Patriots. Thuney joined the Chiefs in 2021 and won his third championship ring last year.
During the Big Game, Nick Allegretti, a five-year veteran, will replace Thuney on the Chiefs’ offensive line. Allegretti, who was selected in the seventh round of the draft, has spent his entire career with the Chiefs primarily as a backup player. The offensive line coach, Andy Heck, stated that the team follows the philosophy of “next man up” as preached by head coach Andy Reid. According to Heck, everyone on the team prepares and practices equally, and in this case, Allegretti is the next man up to seamlessly step into Thuney’s position without any major disruption.
According to the Source deadspin.com