The Kansas City Chiefs aren’t out of the proverbial woods by any stretch when it comes to the health (and availability) of their star quarterback Patrick Mahomes for Sunday’s AFC Championship game against the Buffalo Bills. However, they are cautiously optimistic that his multiple injuries could be healed enough to allow him to play.
On Tuesday, NFL reporter Terez A. Paylor of Yahoo Sports noted that the Chiefs are hoping to see Mahomes practice to some degree as soon as Wednesday, which would be a very hopeful sign he might start on Sunday against the visiting Bills for a chance to play in the Super Bowl.
My understanding is that Patrick Mahomes has passed some hurdles and is still working through the protocol, but there's hope he can practice in some capacity tomorrow.
— RIP Terez A. Paylor (@TerezPaylor) January 19, 2021
Practicing on Wednesday in fact seems a bit advanced given that the Chiefs will practice all week long. If Mahomes needed rest to heal, it would make sense to keep him out completely for an extra day or more.
Against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday in the AFC’s Divisional Round, Mahomes injured his toe early in the game’s first quarter and was noticeably in pain thereafter. Then in the third quarter, a hit from Browns linebacker Mack Wilson led to what was believed to be a head injury that placed him in the league’s concussion protocol. Backup quarterback Chad Henne was forced to finish the game out for the Chiefs.
ESPN reporter Adam Schefter noted that both injuries are still in play for Mahomes, which is why no one is breathing easy just yet in Chiefs Kingdom.
Additionally Patrick Mahomes is dealing with a foot issue, per source. He still must go through certain steps to clear concussion protocol in the coming days, and there is hope and optimism, considering he is expected to practice Wednesday, per source. https://t.co/zKwHaosaA3
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 19, 2021
While the Chiefs can play well with Henne under center, there’s obviously a major difference in the team’s offensive capabilities with Mahomes available. More details will be known on Wednesday as the Chiefs prepare to officially practice for the first time.