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Chargers lose Ladd McConkey to a concussion at Arrowhead, already without Joe Alt and Derwin James

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The receiver was checked for a head injury in the second quarter and ruled out minutes later, leaving the winless Chargers even thinner at wide receiver against the unbeaten Chiefs.

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WhyNFL Sports DeskPublished
Jim Harbaugh and Justin Herbert press conference graphic, October 14, 2026
Jim Harbaugh and Justin Herbert spoke on October 14, 2026. Image: Los Angeles Chargers / YouTube

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey has been ruled out of Sunday’s game at Kansas City with a concussion, the club announced shortly after 5 p.m. EDT, a few minutes after it said he was being checked for a head injury. The Chargers trailed the Chiefs 9-3 in the second quarter when the news came.

McConkey had one catch for 17 yards before he went to the medical tent. Ian Rapoport also reported that the receiver would not return. The timing is cruel for a player who had only just shaken off a foot problem: McConkey was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday, took every rep on Friday and carried no designation into the weekend.

A depleted roster gets thinner

The Chargers, 0-5 coming into the day, were already playing without seven inactive players, five of them ruled out on Friday. Left tackle Joe Alt (neck), safety Derwin James Jr. (hamstring), cornerback Donte Jackson (hamstring), receiver Tre’ Harris (hamstring) and guard Kayode Awosika (fibula) did not practice all week. Cornerback Rodney Shelley (hamstring) and edge rusher Bud Dupree (neck) were also inactive.

Losing McConkey on top of Harris leaves Justin Herbert with Quentin Johnston, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, KeAndre Lambert-Smith and Brenen Thompson as his wide receivers for the rest of the afternoon. Lambert-Smith (hamstring) and Thompson (quad) both carried injury designations into the game.

Kansas City came in at 4-0 and short-handed in its own right, without receiver Rashee Rice (hamstring, knee) and left tackle Josh Simmons (back). The Chiefs built their lead on a 44-yard field goal by Harrison Butker and a 33-yard touchdown run by Kenneth Walker III; Cameron Dicker answered with a 23-yard field goal for Los Angeles.

What it means for McConkey

A concussion puts McConkey in the league’s protocol, and he cannot play again until he has cleared every step of it. The calendar helps: the Chargers are off next weekend, so he has two weeks before their next game.

What comes next

The Chargers return on Sunday, November 1, against the Los Angeles Rams at 4:05 p.m. EST. The Chiefs visit the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, October 25, at 8:20 p.m. EDT. Follow every designation on the WhyNFL injury page.

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