It’s the NFL’s most-watched right-ankle injury ahead of Sunday’s AFC Championship Game.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid confirmed Monday that quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered a high-ankle sprain in Saturday’s AFC Divisional Round win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“That’s pretty accurate,” Reid said.
Mahomes briefly left Saturday’s game in the second quarter for X-rays, which were negative, before returning to action to start the second half. After the game, he immediately underwent treatment on the injury and Reid sounded encouraged by Mahomes’ progress.
“He’s worked hard in the treatment and is doing OK,” Reid said.
The Chiefs are scheduled to return to the practice field Wednesday in preparation for Sunday night’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Whether it’s Mahomes or backup QB Chad Henne taking the first-team repetitions remains to be seen because Reid wasn’t ready to fully commit to Mahomes on Monday.
“The game-plan part, we don’t have to do much either way,” Reid said. “I mean, they both run the same plays. As far as the reps, I’ve got to see how he (Mahomes) feels when we get ready for practice.”
Mahomes has dealt with an ankle injury in the past. In Week 1 of the 2019 regular season, he suffered a left-ankle injury — also against the Jaguars — but he didn’t miss any games because of it.
“I think this one isn’t quite as bad as that one,” Reid said. “I mean, they’re similar, sore, but not quite the same.”
Reid’s comments on his quarterback’s current injury could provide optimism regarding Mahomes’ status in the coming days. A week after suffering the left-ankle injury in 2019, Mahomes threw for 443 yards and four touchdowns in a 44-30 win against the Raiders.
The Chiefs are scheduled to practice Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Mahomes told reporters after Saturday’s win that he wouldn’t come out of a playoff game “unless they take me out,” and he’s likely entering this week of game-prep with the same gritty determination.
The Chiefs, though, are taking a cautious approach.
“He told you guys, I mean, he mentioned to you that’s he’s going to play,” Reid said. “That’s his mindset, and then we’ll just take it day by day and see how he does.”
