Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes began treatment for his injured right ankle on the flight home from Cleveland on Sunday and continued Monday with a plan of practicing this week.
Mahomes said Tuesday he was ready to take the field, shaking off concern that his “mild high-ankle sprain” could derail Kansas City’s push to the playoffs. He was a full participant in practice according to the Chiefs.
Head coach Andy Reid tempered the mood slightly, noting the most important time for Mahomes will be the hours and days after practicing to assess any limitations caused by the discomfort expected from testing his mobility.
The Chiefs (13-1) practiced on their typical day off because they play the Houston Texans (9-5) on Saturday and face another tight turnaround with a Week 17 Christmas Day game at Pittsburgh (10-4) on Wednesday. With a win Saturday and a loss or tie by the Buffalo Bills (11-3), the Chiefs would clinch the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs.
“Let’s just see what he does (in practice),” Reid said.
Mahomes said the injury in the fourth quarter of a 21-7 win at Cleveland on Sunday was a normal football play. He was connected to electric stimulation hours after the game ended and has iced the ankle religiously.
“I feel it really responded really well,” Mahomes said Tuesday.
Without Mahomes, No. 2 quarterback Carson Wentz would be in line to start. Reid said the Chiefs have “full confidence in Carson if he has to step in and play” this week.
“My hope is to go out there to play,” Mahomes said of his prognosis for the week. “The reason you play this game is to push to play.”
But Mahomes also said he wants to be able to protect himself. He was battered by the Browns last week and was hit 12 times. Houston is second in the NFL with 45 sacks and has the only pass-rushing tandem with at least 10 sacks apiece in Danielle Hunter (12.0) and Will Anderson Jr. (10.0).
“I want to be able to move,” Mahomes said. “I want to be able to get out of the way. [Houston’s] is a good pass rush, a good defense. They fly around. You don’t want to go out there and put yourself in harm’s way. Obviously, it’s football and you’re going to take hits, but you want to be able to protect yourself. So that’ll be where I’m at and I don’t want to limit the game plan.”
Reid said wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown would participate in workouts again this week with a chance to make his debut against the Texans.
Brown has been on injured reserve since Sept. 13 with a sternoclavicular joint injury sustained in the preseason.
He signed a one-year, $7 million contract with the Chiefs in March after playing three seasons with the Baltimore Ravens (2019-21) and two seasons with the Arizona Cardinals (2022-23).
Brown faced the Texans last season as a member of the Cardinals and caught two passes for 18 yards.
–Field Level Media
