The AFC championship game is set. And there’s plenty of intrigue surrounding the health of one team’s star quarterback.Kansas City Chiefs starter Patrick Mahomes is dealing with a high-ankle sprain on his right leg that could affect his ability to play against Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday (6:30 p.m. ET).
The AFC title game will be a matchup of last year’s affair, which saw the Bengals outlast the Chiefs in overtime to advance to the Super Bowl.With Mahomes healthy, the Chiefs have been unable to beat the Bengals in three games during the last calendar year.
He mentioned to you, he’s going to play. So, that’s his mindset,” Reid said. “We’ll just take it day by day and see how he does.”The Chiefs will practice on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday this week. But it remains unclear whether Mahomes practices or if he will participate in a limited fashion.
When asked if Mahomes could play Sunday without practicing, Reid said: “I think so. He’s never done that.”Reid also added Mahomes has “done amazing things with limited time.”Mahomes’ ankle injury is not as severe as the one he suffered during the opener of the 2019 season.
This one isn’t quite as bad as that one,” Reid said. “But they’re similar – sore, but not quite the same.”Asked about how Mahomes’ rehabilitation has gone since Saturday’s game, Reid said: “He’s worked hard in the treatment and is doing okay.”
Mahomes sustained the injury late in the first quarter of Kansas City’s 27-20 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday.Mahomes’ lower right leg was in the crossfire of a takedown by Jaguars linebacker Arden Key and defensive tackle Corey Peters. He did not want to exit the game.
Mahomes finished the drive, which ended with kicker Harrison Butker making a 50-yard field goal early in the second quarter.Then, Chiefs coach Andy Reid forced Mahomes to get an X-ray and sit out the rest of the second quarter. Mahomes returned in the second half and finished the game.
