The Kansas City Chiefs shared some encouraging news on quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ ankle injury Wednesday.
Mahomes, who is dealing with a high ankle sprain on his right foot, will practice on Wednesday, coach Andy Reid said.
It’s unclear to what extent Mahomes will participate in practice. But his return to the practice field is encouraging for the Chiefs ahead of Sunday’s AFC championship game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
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“It’s doing good. I had a few days of treatment and a few days of rehab. I’m excited to go on the practice field and test it out, and see where I’m at. But it’s feeling good so far,” Mahomes said during a press conference before practice.
Mahomes remains day to day with the injury, which he suffered during the first half of the Chiefs’ playoff win against the Jacksonville Jaguars last week.
The Bengals have won three straight games against the Chiefs, including last season’s AFC championship game.
And Mahomes intends to play in this pivotal game.
“It’s just about being a competitor. You want to be out there, especially in these games,” Mahomes said. “So, all you can do is just mentally prepare yourself, your body throughout the week, and when you get to game day, you just have to focus on the game. That’s what I’ll try to do, is prepare my body the best I can to get to the game, and I’ll go out there and play, and find a way to win.”
Patrick Mahomes says his ankle is steadily improving
Since suffering the injury, Mahomes has been in a constant state of treatment, rehabilitation, watching film, and resting.
“It’s a full day thing, where you’re trying to make sure you’re obviously prepared for the Bengals and a great football team, mentally and physically,” Mahomes said.
Mahomes’ goal during practice this week is to see the limitations of his injury, and how they will affect him in Sunday’s game.
“I’ll see what I can do to not re-aggravate the injury, obviously, but to push it to see what I’m able to do on Sunday.”
Reid, who said Mahomes was able to participate in the Chiefs’ walkthrough earlier Wednesday, said he may have to restrain Mahomes from doing too much in practice.
“I might have to pull him back a little bit, but knowing him he’ll try to do everything,” Reid said of Mahomes.
Patrick Mahomes has played through injury before
Mahomes said the most he’s been bothered while playing injured was during the end of the 2021 season, when he was hampered by a toe injury.
The Chiefs lost the Super Bowl to Tom Brady and the Buccaneers.
“I had to curl my toes when I walked, so that was probably the toughest injury that I had to play through
. But I’ve dealt with a lot of them,” Mahomes said.
“And you have to mentally get yourself focused on what you need to be focused on, and that’s the team you’re playing. You prepare your body all week, and when it gets to Sunday, you focus on playing the football game, and that’s what I’m going to try to do this week.”
Mahomes has also dealt with a high ankle sprain before, after the 2019 season opener against the Jaguars. But that injury was to his left foot instead of his right foot.
Still, the injury gives him some experience to lean on.
“The last one was the leg that I landed on. So, I had to find ways to throw where I could land and keep it in the right spot. This time I have to find ways to be able to push off and be able to still make the throws the right way,” Mahomes said. “Different similar in a sense, but I’ll have limitations I’ll have to work through.”
Underdog vs. Bengals, no problem for Patrick Mahomes
The Chiefs have lost their last three games against the Bengals – all by three points.
But don’t tell Mahomes he’s the underdog against Joe Burrow and the Bengals this week.
“Every time I walk on that field, I don’t think I’m an underdog – especially when I walk on Aarowhead’s field,” Mahomes said.
“I just go in with the same mindset of we have to play our best football to win. We know we’re playing a good football team that’s beat us three times in the past. We have to learn from our mistakes from the best in order to win against a good football team.”