Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered an ankle injury on the offense's second possession, but returned to help his team to a 27-20 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in a AFC Division Round Game at Arrowhead Stadium.
Mahomes initially was deemed questionable to return with an ankle injury, but did just that to start the second half.
"Yeah, X-rays were negative. They haven't diagnosed anything yet but I'll be good to go," Mahomes said on the NBC broadcast after the win.
NFL Network's James Palmer shared how Mahomes was not wearing any sort of wrap or boot on his right foot immediately after the game. The signal-caller told reporters after the game his ankle felt better than he expected, and that he was prepared to jump right into recovery treatment Saturday night.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid referred to Mahomes' injury as an ankle "tweak." He told reporters after the game Mahomes was operating under a "short leash" should he appear to get re-injured, but the team felt comfortable with playing him.
Despite clearly playing at less than 100%, Mahomes led the Chiefs on a 10-play, 75-yard drive to give Kansas City a 27-17 lead with 7:08 left in regulation. Jacksonville ultimately turned the ball over on each of its next two possessions as the Chiefs took valuable time off the clock.
Following the injury on Kansas City's second possession, Mahomes quickly got taped up on the sideline but went back in. But shortly after a Kansas City field goal with 14:09 left in the second quarter, Mahomes went back into the locker room to get checked out. He said on CBS the Chiefs ultimately told him he was not going back into the game until he went back to the locker room.
Mahomes returned to the sideline some 2:30 of game action later but spent the next 10 minutes on the sideline as backup signal-caller Chad Henne took over and led a touchdown drive.
"It's going to take me a lot to keep me out of a football game," Mahomes said on the broadcast.
After completing six of his first eight passes on the offense's first touchdown drive, Mahomes finished 22-for-30 for 195 yards and two touchdowns. Travis Kelce caught a career-high 14 passes for 98 yards and two touchdowns while the Chiefs also rushed for 144 yards behind Isiah Pacheco (12 carries, 95 yards).
"The offensive line kept me clean in the pocket knowing that I couldn't move and guys made plays around me," Mahomes said on the broadcast. "And that's what a great team does. When somebody gets a little banged up, everybody around them steps up."
The Chiefs advance to the AFC Championship Game for a fifth consecutive season. They will play the winner of Sunday's game between the Buffalo Bills or Cincinnati Bengals for the chance to play in Super Bowl LVII.
