Patrick Mahomes remains undefeated by ankle injuries.
The Kansas City Chiefs’ star quarterback took the field Saturday, battling a sprained ankle to cruise to a 27-19 victory over the Houston Texans. Mahomes threw for 260 yards with a touchdown pass and a touchdown run.
Mahomes was never guaranteed to play after leaving last Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns with a sprain. But that didn’t even stop him from missing any practices this week, as Mahomes followed his typical routine despite the injury.
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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) throws a pass during the first half against the Houston Texans at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. (Images by Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn)
It was familiar territory for the three-time Super Bowl champion. Mahomes played through a sprained ankle in the 2022 playoffs, returning in the AFC championship game after suffering the injury to beat the Cincinnati Bengals and then played two weeks later to beat the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl.
Mahomes’ most recent ankle sprain was said to be mild and typically takes two to four weeks to fully heal. However, Mahomes has proven to be a player who returns from injury faster than expected.
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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) celebrates with tight end Travis Kelce (87) and receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (9) after scoring a touchdown during the first half against the Houston Texans at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. (Images by Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn)
The last time Mahomes missed a game due to injury was in 2019 when he missed just two games after suffering a dislocated kneecap against the Denver Broncos.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid told reporters during the week that he was “amazed” by his quarterback’s ability to return so quickly from injury.
“I’ve been through that with him before and he surprises me every time he does it,” Reid said. “He’s very strong mentally. It’s a mentality he has going into this. Where he was a few days ago, I’d probably say it was a long shot. He’s done well.”
Meanwhile, Mahomes under-promised and over-delivered on his availability this week. He suggested to reporters Tuesday that he wouldn’t play unless he felt it wouldn’t “limit the game plan” with his injury.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) celebrates with tight end Travis Kelce (87) after scoring a touchdown during the first half against the Houston Texans at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. (Images by Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn)
“I don’t want to limit the game plan,” Mahomes said. “That’s another thing for me. I want to be able to keep moving around the pocket so we’re not sitting in one spot the entire game and leading the D-line to chase it. So, it’s about finding that balance and seeing where I am and “Like I said, I won’t know until closer to the end of this week.”
But with the victory, Mahomes and the Chiefs move closer to history. Out of sheer vanity, they have won their 16th consecutive game by one possession, breaking a tie with the 2004 New England Patriots.
More importantly, they are now just one win away from securing the number one seed in the AFC. That would give the Chiefs a first-round bye and home-field advantage on their way to the Super Bowl.
Mahomes and company are looking to become the first team in NFL history to win three consecutive Super Bowls. His path to achieving this became shorter with Mahomes’ latest heroics.
