KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ It is ridiculous what wide receiver Keenan Allen can do when healthy, a reminder he gave Sunday for the first 28 minutes of the Chargers' season opener. He was a savant at the line of scrimmage, running a route-running clinic against the Chiefs' secondary. He toyed with cornerback Marcus Peters. He caught six passes for 63 yards and drew two penalties seemingly without sweat.
Then, he fell to the ground.
The Chargers believe Allen suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament at Arrowhead Stadium, a source said Sunday. While expected to miss the remainder of the 2016 season, he is scheduled for an MRI on Monday back in San Diego to gain further clarity on the full extent of damage to his right knee. This marks Allen's second major injury in as many games played. Last season, in Week 8, he lacerated his kidney on a touchdown catch against the Ravens, ending his year.
And so, it was a cruel scene that developed with two minutes remaining in the first half, an emotional Allen gripping his knee after falling to the ground away from the action of a short Philip Rivers pass to running back Danny Woodhead. He was carted off the field.
Allen, 24, signed a four-year, $45 million extension in June. He has been unable to shake injury misfortune.
Before last year's freak injury, which came from the impact of falling hard in the end zone, a broken collarbone ended his sophomore season in 2014. His final college season at California ended with a sprained posterior knee ligament. Notably, that was to his left knee, not right.
