Kansas City, Mo. ? Kansas City Chiefs running back Priest Holmes will miss the rest of the season because of a knee injury.

Holmes, who was leading the NFL in scoring and rushing when he was hurt Nov. 7, was placed on injured reserve Thursday but will not require surgery.

“It was the best thing to do for Priest Holmes and his future,” coach Dick Vermeil said. “I think he’ll be 100 percent within a month, two months at least.”

Vermeil said Holmes might have remained on the roster if the Chiefs (4-8) were headed for the playoffs. But he already had been declared out for Monday night’s game at Tennessee, and the Chiefs will play only three more times after that.

“The rehab is taking longer and with the season only four weeks to go and Priest feeling the pressure to get ready to play … obviously he wasn’t going to be able to,” Vermeil said. “There was some talk that in a couple of weeks he might start practicing with a brace on the knee.

“But we aren’t going to do that to Priest Holmes.”

Holmes was injured on what appeared to be a routine tackle at Tampa Bay, forcing an early end to what was shaping up as a terrific year.

He had been the NFL’s player of the month for October, when he had three 100-yard rushing games, rushed for nine touchdowns and caught 10 passes for 170 yards and a touchdown.

One year after setting an NFL record with 27 touchdowns, he was on pace to be the first NFL player to score 20 or more touchdowns rushing in three consecutive seasons.

6Sports video: Chiefs’ running back to miss rest of season

“He was on pace to have a great year, no question about it. I think there was a couple of times he probably left a 200-yard rushing game in the locker room,” Vermeil said.

In their final four games, the Chiefs will alternate running backs Derrick Blaylock and Larry Johnson, who both have had 100-yard rushing days in the four games Holmes has missed.

“Now we have a chance to watch both of these guys grow,” Vermeil said.

Holmes ends 2004 with 892 yards rushing on 196 carries, with 15 touchdowns. He also caught 19 passes for 187 yards and one score. His season highlight came in the Chiefs’ 56-10 win over Atlanta, when he and Blaylock each scored four of the Chiefs’ NFL-record eight TDs rushing. Holmes underwent hip surgery after the 2002 season and has spoken of retirement before.