From a durability standpoint, if Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has had one vulnerability throughout his career, it’d be his ankles.
Mahomes appeared to reaggravate an ankle injury during the Week 9 Monday Night Football matchup versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and he shed some light on the status of said ankle while addressing the media on November 6.
“It’s doing good,” the Chiefs QB first replied, regarding his ankle. “Obviously, when you have a little bit of a roll, it’s a little bit sore but I’m able to move around and I look forward to getting out at practice and seeing how I can push it as the week goes on.”
Later, he spoke in more detail about the ankle injury itself, and what actually occurred just before the Samaje Perine touchdown against the Bucs.
“I was gonna run [the ball],” Mahomes explained. “And so, at the last second I saw [Perine] open, and I [was] just trying to get the ball out before I passed that line of scrimmage there… [Then my ankle] kind of snagged on me a little bit with the previous injury and just sent a sharp pain down my leg.”
“Once the pain went away, I was able to get back out there and play again,” the superstar signal-caller concluded. He added that he can “definitely feel [the pain],” but also noted that he tends to focus more on his throws and gameplay while in the heat of the moment.
Chiefs HC Andy Reid Downplays Patrick Mahomes’ Ankle Injury Ahead of Week 10
Mahomes playing through pain is nothing new. He’s been a warrior throughout his career and there is no question that he will continue to gut it out amid an undefeated campaign and an attempt at a three-peat.
Having said that, it was good to hear Chiefs head coach Andy Reid talk about the ankle injury on Wednesday — considering he didn’t seem overly concerned.
“No, we won’t have to back off [of his ankle],” Reid answered casually when asked about Mahomes at the start of his press conference. “But he manages it. He stays on top of all that.”
The two-time NFL MVP briefly talked about how he goes about doing that on November 6.
“You can only do so much [to treat it after the game],” Mahomes told reporters. “Obviously, it was pretty late but getting some stuff in the training room after the game and getting some stuff to take home — you throw it on [the ankle] — stuff you can do overnight that you put on there to kind of reduce swelling and stuff like that.”
The Chiefs quarterback also provided a look behind the curtain of his Tuesday morning following the primetime outing.
“It was a long day yesterday of watching film and then getting treatment and doing some rehab-type stuff,” he said. “Prepare yourself for a short week and a practice today.”
Despite his ankle, Mahomes put together one of his best performances of the season on Monday night, earning a 77.5 total QBR (out of 100) and a 116.8 passer rating. There’s little doubt he’ll be ready to go against the division rival Denver Broncos on November 10.
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes Says Broncos’ Coaching Presents ‘Biggest Challenge’ in Week 10
When asked about the upcoming matchup with the Broncos and the “biggest challenge” that their defense presents, Mahomes first pointed at Denver’s coaching staff.
“They’re very well coached, they play extremely hard, and they have great football players,” Mahomes responded. “That’s what it takes on great defenses.”
The Chiefs QB went on to note that the Broncos have an “understanding” for the offensive scheme that Kansas City deploys.
“Coach [Vance] Joseph, [the Broncos defensive coordinator], has played against us a lot as a head coach, as a defensive coordinator,” Mahomes reminded. “He knows how to take away some of the stuff that we’re really good at.”
He also highlighted Denver’s superstar cornerback Patrick Surtain — a player that Mahomes acknowledged “might be the best corner in the NFL.”
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Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes Sheds Light on Ankle Injury: ‘Sharp Pain Down My Leg’