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Chiefs' Hitchens nursing hamstring injury, slated to start at middle linebacker

Posted at 10:20 PM, Aug 13, 2018
and last updated 2018-08-15 12:47:34-04

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — From the moment the Chiefs signed Anthony Hitchens in March, the veteran linebacker was "Sharpied" in as the Chiefs starter at middle linebacker.

Now, we just need to see him.

"You don't want to come back early just to force chemistry," said Hitchens Monday from Chiefs Training Camp in St. Joseph, Mo.

Hitchens missed the Chiefs first preseason game against the Houston Texans. He's been nursing a hamstring injury. 

"We've just got to be healthy so you can play at your ability," said Hitchens.

Anthony should know. After all, it was about this time last year when Hitchens went down with what was feared to be an ACL tear. It wasn't, yet he still missed four games in 2017. And he's not about to rush things.

"You don't want to come out here 50 percent or 60 percent. It's just hard. It's hard enough to play the game," said Hitchens. "It's going to be harder if you're not 100 percent."

Hitchens was back in 11-on-11 drills Monday at practice and is expected to make his Chiefs debut Friday at Atlanta.