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While there have been a plethora of twists and turns this season, the Kansas City Chiefs (13-1) are advancing toward the No. 1 seed in the AFC. The path to Super Bowl 59 will likely go through Arrowhead Stadium. But Patrick Mahomes' latest ankle injury could complicate matters a bit, especially when considering KC's upcoming schedule.
The superstar quarterback suffered what is feared to be a right high-ankle sprain in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 21-7 victory versus the Cleveland Browns and is considered week-to-week. He exited and did not return, as backup Carson Wentz held down the fort for the remainder of the game.
Mahomes famously fought through an ankle sprain in Super Bowl 57 against the Philadelphia Eagles and claimed MVP honors. And he is mentally prepared to do the same again if necessary. The Chiefs are not looking to make things harder on themselves, though, even if they do have a preposterous knack for overcoming adversity in critical situations. KC hosts the Houston Texans on Saturday and then visits Acrisure Stadium a few days later for a Christmas Day clash with the Pittsburgh Steelers, so management might be inclined to exercise caution.
The 29-year-old is not ready to make a determination about his health. Like Chiefs Kingdom, he is waiting for concrete answers.
“It's hard to say right now,” Patrick Mahomes said postgame, per ESPN's Adam Teicher. “You still [have the] adrenaline rolling and usually it's kind of the day after when you kind of get a good sense of it. I feel like I could have finished the game in different circumstances, but I thought the smart decision … was to put Carson Wentz in.”
Patrick Mahomes and Chiefs can get the job done at less than full strength
A healthy Mahomes is the team's foremost concern. He is putting together arguably the worst regular season of his legendary NFL career, averaging 239.1 passing yards per game while throwing 22 touchdowns and 11 interceptions on the year. But the Chiefs are somehow two games ahead of the Buffalo Bills in the conference standings. If No. 15 and the offense can come together like they did at the end of the 2023-24 campaign, fans could witness the first-ever Super Bowl three-peat.
His ankle has to be functional, however. Mahomes expects to play in pain at this time of the year. He just wants to feel strong enough to compete, because when you give him and the two-time defending champions a chance, success tends to ensue.
“You just do what you have to do to get back, and I think that's the most important thing,” Mahomes said. “And now we just get back to the rehab part, the treatment part, and try to get ourselves ready on a short week against a good football team.”
Let the speculation begin.
