The Kansas City Chiefs have wrapped up the No. 1 seed in the AFC, meaning their final regular season contest against the Denver Broncos in Week 18 is meaningless. However, fans were quick to take note of a cryptic message wide receiver Mecole Hardman posted on social media on Monday afternoon.
The Chiefs have coasted to a 15-1 record through their first 16 games, and they are set up to go on a deep playoff run. While they have dealt with injuries throughout the year, particularly on offense, they have gotten several key players back recently, and it sounds like another one is closing in on a return.
That would be Hardman, who was placed on injured reserve back on Dec. 7 with a knee injury. Head coach Andy Reid recently said that Hardman could return in the postseason for Kansas City, and his latest four-emoji message on X, formerly known as Twitter, hinted that he was making progress towards his return.
— Mecole Hardman Jr. (@MecoleHardman4) December 30, 2024
Hardman posted four running emojis, seemingly indicating that he is beginning to ramp up his work in his quest to return to action for KC. While Hardman isn't exactly the team's top weapon, having as many playmakers at their disposal as possible could make their quest of winning their third-straight Super Bowl that much easier.
Even with the shortage of wide receivers the Chiefs have dealt with this season, Hardman has struggled to make an impact on offense, as he's hauled in just 12 passes for 90 yards in his 12 games played. His main contributions were as the team's top punt returner, where he averaged 10.2 yards per return.
With Xavier Worthy, Marquise Brown, and DeAndre Hopkins leading the way at wide receiver, Hardman likely won't see the field much on offense if he is able to return. However, he could help out on special teams as a returner, and as we have seen in the past, he has the ability to rip off a big play anytime he touches the football.
For now, the Chiefs will be focused on making it through their regular season finale without suffering any injuries. But once they get to the postseason, they will look to do what they can to get Hardman back on the field as they attempt to make yet another Super Bowl run.
