Irony, Thy Name Is Cassel: Chiefs QB Goes Down With Left Leg Injury

In case you've somehow forgotten how Matt Cassel became a star in the first place -- it all started when Patriots QB Tom Brady took a hit low in a Week 1 game against Kansas City last year, injuring his left knee.

Cassel parlayed his one season as the Patriots starter into a six-year, $63 million contract with the same Kansas City squad. And, despite an up-and-down preseason, Cassel -- in large part because of the amount of money owed him -- remained entrenched as the Chiefs' No. 1 QB.

That is, until he took a hit low during the Chiefs' preseason game with the Seahawks on Saturday night, injuring his left knee. Irony 1, Cassel 0.

Kansas City and Seattle were just three plays into an eventual 14-10 Seahawks victory when Cassel had to limp off the field. He did so under his own power, though Brady also hobbled off last year before finding out he had multiple ligament tears in his knee. Cassel didn't endure the wicked helmet-on-knee contact that Brady suffered -- instead, Seattle defensive tackle Brandon Mebane wrapped up Cassel around the ankles as the Kansas City quarterback started to scramble. Cassel immediately grimaced and grabbed for his leg. Video below:

Not as obviously-bad as Brady's injury was, but troubling nonetheless. Anytime a quarterback starts clutching at his knee, it's problematic.

X-rays on Cassel's left leg came back negative -- on Sunday night, Yahoo's Jason Cole reported that Cassel suffered a strained MCL. If that's accurate, it's an injury that could keep him out two-to-four weeks and put his status for the start of the regular season in serious jeopardy.

The silver lining in all this is that Kansas City has, thus far, held onto backup quarterback Tyler Thigpen despite at least one trade offer trying to pry him loose. The Chiefs also like what they have in Brodie Croyle, who won the team's starting job in 2008 before injuries struck and has been performing well this offseason.

Should Cassel be shelved for any extended period of time, the K.C. quarterback battle once again becomes Croyle vs. Thigpen. Either guy could be adequate, but Cassel is the team's big-money acquisition -- they want and need him in the lineup.

Even if the football gods are being a little fickle with him right now.