After Mahomes Sprains Ankle, Chiefs Keep Rolling

Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes sat out the final minutes of a 21-7 win over the Cleveland Browns after taking a hit in the fourth quarter.

The three-time Super Bowl MVP took a hit from Browns defender Mike Hall while being dragged down by Dalvin Tomlinson on a failed fourth-down conversion, sustaining what would later be confirmed a high ankle sprain, but stayed on the sideline. Backup Carson Wentz took over on the subsequent drive.

“I was trying to run up in the pocket, obviously fourth down, trying to make a play happen,” Mahomes told reporters after the game. “And as I threw the ball, I kind of got hit – and I haven’t seen it – but it felt like someone hit me from behind as well. And so I kind of just got rolled up on. It kind of happens in football, and so I tried to bounce back up, but obviously, it hurt a little bit.”

Mahomes went 19-for-38 on the game, throwing for 159 yards and two touchdowns. While he hasn’t been close to his career averages this season, the Chiefs’ defense has picked up any offensive slack rather spectacularly, as evidenced by the team’s 13-1 record.

The injury comes amid an 11-day stretch for the Chiefs, as they play the Texans on Saturday and the Steelers on Christmas Day. Mahomes’ availability for the Texans game remains in doubt.

“I feel like I could have finished the game in different circumstances,” he said.

“I’ll get to work in practice and try to push it to see where I can get to, but at the end of the day, I’m not going to put our team in a bad position. So if I feel like I can play and go out there and win a football game, I’ll play.”

Kansas City has already clinched their division and the playoffs. Although Mahomes should “be fine long-term,” it’s likely in the team’s best interest to sit him until he’s fully healthy.

The Chiefs’ aspirations lay in the postseason. In the meantime, if Mahomes can’t go, Wentz will do for the strongest defensive team in the league.