Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes hurt his ankle early in the divisional game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and after initially being questionable to return, he went back in for the second half and played through the rest of the game, helping lead the Chiefs to a 27-20 win.
After the game, Mahomes said there is no official prognosis and insisted he will be good to go for the AFC Championship Game. Ahead of what will now be a rematch of last season’s AFC Championship Game, in which the Cincinnati Bengals outlasted the host Chiefs, 27-24, in overtime, Mahomes indicated via Twitter that he can’t wait for the chance at revenge. Third-seeded Cincinnati manhandled the second-seeded Bills in Buffalo, 27-10, in the divisional round.
On Sunday, Mahomes got an MRI that showed the injury is a high ankle sprain, CBS Sports NFL Insider Jonathan Jones reports. Mahomes maintains that he will be ready to go for Sunday’s title game.
In the first quarter Saturday, the quarterback went down on a tackle and had a defender’s leg fall onto his right ankle, which twisted as he went to the ground. Mahomes was limping and hobbled to the sideline, but remained in the game for the time being, eventually getting his ankle taped.
Here is a look at how the injury happened:
The ankle twisting is apparent in the replay, as Jaguars’ Arden Key and Corey Peters tackled the quarterback.
Mahomes eventually headed to the Chiefs’ locker room early in the second quarter looking visibly upset over being taken out of his game. He was replaced by backup Chad Henne. the 37-year-old former Jaguar who had not started a game in eight years. Henne took over with the Chiefs backed up on the 1-yard line, and led a long, impressive drive, capped off with his first postseason touchdown.
Mahomes was the first Chiefs player to come out of the locker room after halftime and after taking some warmup throws he returned for the first drive of the second half and would not come out again. In some moments it looked like he was still limping.
Mahomes addressed not wanting to leave the game after the win.
“Yeah I didn’t want to go and they kind of gave me the ultimatum of I wasn’t going back unless I went in there so they’re trying to take care of me we got a lot of great people over here, but it’s gonna take a lot to keep me out of a football game,” he said.
He also complimented Henne, saying, “Chad Henne man, he’s been in the building every single day. He’s made me so much of a better quarterback in the way he teaches me and just the most ready to go at all times quarterback,” adding that his touchdown drive was the difference maker in the game.
Holding up a game ball, Travis Kelce said, “This ball goes to Chad Henne right here. Henne-thing is possible.”
Before going out with the injury, Mahomes was 12 of 15 for 84 yards and one touchdown. He finished the game going 22-for-30 with 195 yards, two touchdowns, a completion percentage of 73.3 and a 112.5 passer rating.