The Kansas City Chiefs are going to the AFC Championship Game for the third time in three years, but lost their star defender in Sunday’s decisive victory on Sunday, with MVP contender Patrick Mahomes leaving early against the Cleveland Browns due to a concussion. While Chad Henne finished strong during Kansas City’s tight victory over Cleveland, all eyes are now on Mahomes. Can he get back in time for the AFC Championship next Sunday? And what, exactly, does Mahomes need to do to be released to face the Buffalo Bills?
We’re glad you asked. Here’s everything you need to know:
How long will Mahomes be out?
It is impossible to set a timetable for Mahomes’ return. The NFL’s concussion protocol is not based on the duration of recovery, but on a specific five-step rehabilitation plan. This is not necessarily good news for Chiefs and their fans, but it is not necessarily bad news either. The entire process is specific to each individual.
For reference, however, The Athletic’s Lindsay Jones cites the NFL’s concussion data when reporting that the average recovery time for the 29 QBs that suffered a concussion between 2015-2019 was seven days. In this sense, “recovery” is defined by the QB compensation protocol and return to the field. In other words, if Mahomes followed a similar trend, he would be about to return, as the Chiefs are expected to play exactly seven days after his injury.
What does Mahomes need to do to return?
Complete the concussion protocol. To be specific, as explained on NFL.com, the recovery steps are as follows:
- The player rests until the signs and symptoms return to the initial state and undergoes neurological, cognitive and balance tests
- The player begins cardiovascular exercises and / or stretching and balance training under the supervision of the team’s medical staff
- The player increases sport-specific exercises and / or activities and begins supervised strength training
- The player continues to train and resumes contactless football activities (for example, throwing, running, etc.)
- The player is released by the team doctor for full contact and undergoes an independent neurological examination, then returns to practice
When will bosses decide on their status?
There is no rush here. Mahomes cannot even return to training before going through the first four phases of the concussion protocol, and it is possible that he will enter the AFC Championship Game without a single complete training. In other words, Kansas City probably won’t – and, technically, can’t – declare that Mahomes is ready to go until the doctors say so. That could mean Wednesday. That could mean just before the Chiefs prepare to fight for another offer in the Super Bowl.