The biggest time of the year is just around the corner for Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes. After leading the Kansas City Chiefs to Super Bowl glory in the last two years, the duo will be looking do pull off an unprecedented feat in NFL history: to lift the Vince Lombardi trophy three times in a row.

However, injuries continue to challenge the two-time defending champions. On Friday, the Chiefs confirmed that Reid and Mahomes won’t be able to count on defensive tackle Marlon Tuipulotu for the 2025 NFL playoffs.

Kansas City has placed the 25-year-old on Injured Reserve, which means he won’t be able to help the team in its quest for a third consecutive Super Bowl title. This comes shortly after his participation in the regular season finale.

Chiefs rule out Marlon Tuipulotu just before 2025 NFL playoffs

With Reid resting Mahomes and most of the Chiefs‘ starters in Week 18, Tuipulotu played a total of 48 snaps (65%) during the 38-0 loss to the Denver Broncos, recording four combined tackles.

Selected in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, the USC product spent three years in the City of the Brotherly Love before landing in Kansas City in August.

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After starting with the team’s practice squad, the Chiefs promoted Tuipulotu to the active roster in September. He was a healthy scratch for most of the regular season, but Chris Jones’ injury in the final stretch saw him get playing time.

Before seeing plenty of action against the Broncos, Reid gave Tuipulotu some reps on Christmas against the Pittsburgh Steelers, tooking 13 snaps during the Week 17 matchup.

Who’s taking Tuipulotu’s place on the Chiefs’ active roster?

Jones coming back for the Divisional Round meant Tuipulotu’s chances of playing in the postseason were slim, but now he won’t even serve as an alternative in case Reid needed him.

His presence on IR means the Chiefs have an open roster spot ahead of their first game in the 2025 NFL playoffs, though it remains to be seen how they use it. One option could be to activate cornerback Jaylen Watson, whose practice window was recently opened. But we shouldn’t rule out Brett Veach signing another defensive lineman.

Martin O’Donnell is a bilingual sports writer fluent in English and Spanish, with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications. Since joining Bolavip in February 2021, he has extensively covered soccer, NFL, and NBA, specializing in real-time coverage of major events such as the World Cup, UEFA Champions League finals, and the Super Bowl. In June 2023, Martín took on additional responsibilities as the website’s subeditor, keeping a close eye on the stories that get published, helping the staff writers and making the necessary adjustments to the articles. Martin’s prior experience includes managing social media for the CONMEBOL Libertadores and Sudamericana in English and reporting on Brazilian football for Sambafoot. At Bolavip, he is known for his meticulous coverage during critical sports seasons—covering trades, playoffs, and finals. His attention to detail and ability to capture breaking news have made him a valuable asset to the team.