Patrick Mahomes scared Andy Reid for a moment, but he ended up guiding the Kansas City Chiefs to victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on ‘Monday Night Football’ in Week 9 of the 2024 NFL season.
Late in the fourth quarter, the quarterback appeared to suffer an ankle injury and was helped off the field after throwing a touchdown pass to running back Samaje Perine. At that moment, Reid and everyone in Kansas City feared the worst for Mahomes.
The quarterback, however, looked ready to come back after being checked by the doctors in the medical tent. He had to convince the coach though, as Reid looked ready to send backup QB Carson Wentz to the field in the Chiefs‘ next possession.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Reid admitted he doubted whether to accept Mahomes’ request. But in the end, the coach praised his quarterback’s attitude to play through pain.
Head coach Andy Reid of the Kansas City Chiefs speaks to Patrick Mahomes #15 during overtime against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on November 04, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri.
“Well, when he was being carried off, I wasn’t too easy with it. I wasn’t sure exactly where he was going to be with it, but he might have the loosest ankles in America,” Reid said. “It’s ridiculous how he can come back from those things, and then he’s mentally tough on top of it. He’s a competitor. I told him I was going to take him out, and he probably wanted to fight me. He’s a tough kid.”
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In his postgame press conference, Mahomes addressed his brief sideline conversation with Reid before returning to the field: “Yeah, I thought he was joking. He said it and I was like, ‘Come on, we’re not doing this again.’ He trusts me. And once the doctors checked it out and I was able to get back and do the drops again, he let me get back on the field.”
“I was trying to run off the field, and they were telling me not to, and just kind of the football mentality is to get off the field, and we just scored a touchdown, and they told me to just, just take it slow. And that was sort of walking, and started feeling better. And obviously, after I got the re-spat, get that comfortability back, and then took a few drops and felt good.”
It could have been a terrible night for the Chiefs, but it ended up being great. Not only did Mahomes return to play, but he also led the team to a hard-fought, 30-24 victory over the Bucs in overtime.
Mahomes reveals how he came back from the injury
Tampa Bay could’ve gone for two with less than 30 seconds in the game to try and take the lead, but opted for the extra point to make things 24-24 in regulation. Mahomes had the Chiefs leading by a touchdown thanks to the play that almost injured him. Fortunately, it wasn’t serious enough to prevent him from returning for the overtime win.
Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs reacts after an apparent injury against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Arrowhead Stadium on November 04, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri.
“I was obviously running for the goal line,” Mahomes said. “I was kind of committed to running the football, and at the last second, saw Samaje (Perine), so I kind of awkwardly rolled the ankle a little bit. Definitely scary. I think it hurt more just because the same ankle I rolled last week, so it scared me a little bit. But once I kind of took my took my breath and kind of calmed down a little bit, ended up being not too bad. We were able to go in there, kind of get the re-spat, and go back on the football field.”
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Seeing Mahomes play through an injured ankle is not new, as the Chiefs star has already done it during the 2023 NFL playoffs. But to bring some relief to Reid and the fans, the quarterback made it clear that it’s far less painful this time.
“The one in the playoffs a couple of years ago was a little bit how I got tackled, it got stuck, and it hurt a lot more,” Mahomes said. “I can move. I still have mobility in my ankle, and I still did after this game. And so obviously you’ll sleep, and probably get a little swelling tomorrow. It’s a short week, but you go in there and take care of it and be prepared to play next week.”
Mahomes and Reid have the Chiefs as the only undefeated team in the 2024 NFL season with a perfect 8-0 record. This brilliant streak will once again be put to the test when Kansas City welcomes the Denver Broncos to Arrowhead on Sunday.
