KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Quarterback Matt Cassel, a key reason the Kansas City Chiefs have emerged as contenders and lead the AFC West late in the season, underwent an appendectomy Wednesday.
The Chiefs said the procedure was a success and they expected Cassel to return to work this week. they did not say he would be ready to play Sunday when the Chiefs (8-4) travel to San Diego for a showdown with the Chargers (6-6), who trail Kansas City by two games in the division.
Brodie Croyle, who is 0-9 as an NFL starter and has not appeared in a game all year, took most of the practice snaps Wednesday.
The Chiefs also signed quarterback Tyler Palko to the 53-man roster from the practice squad.
Coach Todd Haley, who insisted on saying during his news conference only that Cassel had “an illness,” declined to speculate on whether Cassel will be ready for Sunday’s game.
“Again, he’ll be on the injury report as illness today,” Haley said. “And we’ll just take it from there as we do all injuries.”
In his second season as the Chiefs’ full time starter, Cassel has been thriving under the tutelage of Haley and first-year offensive coordinator Charlie Weis, connecting on 212 of 354 passes for 2,503 yards and 23 touchdowns. He’s thrown an NFL-low four interceptions. his current streak of 158 passes without an interception is the third-longest active streak in the league.
Cassel was the AFC’s Offensive Player of the Month in November, completing 90 of 144 passes for 1,111 yards and 12 TDs with only one interception.
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger underwent an appendectomy four days before the 2006 NFL opener. he returned to play in Pittsburgh’s Week 2 game 15 days after the surgery, and his passer ratings in that and the following game — 38.7 and 30.7 — are among the six worst of his career.
Croyle, a third-round pick out of Alabama in 2006, was projected as the Chiefs’ foundation quarterback before Herman Edwards was fired as head coach after the 2008 season. Injury prone, he to the second team when new general manager Scott Pioli traded for Cassel before the 2009 season. Croyle has not started since the 2009 season opener, when Cassel was hurt.
Croyle said this week will be no different than any other for him, other than the fact he’ll be getting more practice reps.
“Just got to prepare like you always do,” he said. “My number’s called, got to be ready to go. You’ve got to be ready to go on any play.”
Croyle has seen action in 16 regular-season games, completing 173 of 300 passes for 1,631 yards, eight touchdowns and eight interceptions.
The Chiefs also placed cornerback Jackie Bates on injured reserve and signed linebacker Micah Johnson to the practice squad.
The associated Press contributed to this report.
Chiefs’ Cassel has appendectomy; no word on Sunday status
appendectomy, haley, kansas city mo, san diego, tyler palko
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