Ravens Isaiah Likely Expected to Make Debut Against Chiefs

The Baltimore Ravens pass catching arsenal is slated to be at full strength for the first time this season when they take on the Kansas City Chiefs for massive Week 4 showdown on the road. According to a report from ESPN's Adam Schefter per a source, fourth-year tight end Isaiah Likely is expected to suit up and take the field in live action for the first time since last year's postseason exit.

Ravens TE Isaiah Likely, who missed the first three games this season with a foot injury and is listed as questionable for Sunday, is expected to play and make his season debut vs. the Chiefs, per source. pic.twitter.com/ZN07bpOHam
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 28, 2025

Likely missed the first three weeks of the regular season and the vast majority of training camp while he recovered from the surgery to address a small fracture in his foot that he suffered in late July. He has been practicing for the past two weeks on a limited basis until this past Friday when he was listed as a full participant and given a questionable to play designation in the final injury report.

The day before after practice, head coach John Harbaugh told reporters that he was "hopeful" that Likely would be able to make his long-awaited debut during the team's road trip to Kansas City, Mo. and having him back would be "huge" for the offense. After Friday's practice, he said that if and how much Likely will play will be determined by what they see from him on tape during practice and other metrics that evaluate where he's at physically.

"It just depends on what's best for us and the team, in terms of – we'll watch the tape [and] see how [Isaiah Likely's practice data] numbers look," Harbaugh said. "It's going to be a tough environment. He's practiced [for] one week, but he looked really good, so is he ready to go in there, in this game, against those guys and play at the top, top level and help us win the game, or is somebody else more suited? But, he could do it. He looks good to me. I think he looks good, and we'll just have to see if it's the best thing for us on Sunday, and we haven't really decided that yet."

When healthy, Likely is one of the Ravens most dynamic weapons on offense and arguably the best mismatch creator of the tight ends and wide receivers. His rare blend of size, speed and athleticism that he uses exceptionally well in space make his a big play threat anytime he has the ball in his hands.

Originally one of two tight ends the Ravens selected in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Coastal Carolina, Likely is one of a number of key players on this year's team playing in the final year of their respective contracts. Heading into the season, he was viewed as one of he players most likely to get extended as many view him as the eventual successor to three-time Pro Bowl veteran Mark Andrews TE1 in the Ravens offense.

Baltimore Ravens tight ends Isaiah Likely and Mark Andrews celebrate scoring a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers. — Jan 1, 2023; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely (80) celebrates with tight end Mark Andrews (89) after scoring a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first half at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jessica Rapfogel-Imagn Images | Jessica Rapfogel-Imagn Images

Despite playing in a backup role for most of his first three seasons in the league, Likely still flourished and whenever Andrews had to miss time due to injury, he shined bright and proved be one the best in the league. He is coming off a 2024 season in which he set new career highs across the board for the second year in a row with 42 catches for 477 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns.

Nearly a fourth of his receiving yards from last year came in the season-opener against the Chiefs where he racked up a single-game career-high 111 yards on a 9 receptions and scored a 49-yard touchdown. Likely nearly had the game-tying or potentially winning score but his toe came down just outside the back of the end zone. The Chiefs still don't have a linebacker or defensive back that matchup with him so if he does play, there's a chance he could come up with a couple big plays for scores or key conversions.

Make sure you bookmark Baltimore Ravens On SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!