Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes remains under concussion protocol on Tuesday afternoon, according to Mike Garafolo’s NFL Network. Mahomes left the game of the Division Chiefs game against the Cleveland Browns in the third quarter after a concussion assessment.
Garafolo was very clear in his message that this is an ongoing process.
GARAFOLO: “Concussions are not ankle sprains. You cannot sit here and say, ‘It will take a certain number of weeks or days. You have a deadline for that. So you can’t really predict concussions. So, when you hear things like ‘Hey, I’m sure he’s going to play’ and ‘He seems to be doing well’ and all that stuff. ‘He has no symptoms now.’ Yes. This is a good thing. But you have to continue to follow the protocol and, while we are sitting here now, I can say that it is still in the concussion protocol and that there are steps to be taken. They have to increase their physical activity and see if the symptoms arise because of it. This is part of the process of being able to go all the way. So yes. I hear all the optimism. I hear everyone saying that he will be able to go on Sunday. We don’t know for sure, but we will know in the next few days, as long as he continues to have no symptoms as they progress through this protocol. “
As Garafolo mentions, there are a five-step process a player in the protocol must complete before returning to the roster.
“Because of the protocol, it’s a no-brainer from the coach’s point of view,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said on Monday. “I mean, you don’t have to think about it, you just have to go ahead and make sure you have an answer if he is there, an answer if he is not. I can’t tell you from a medical point of view where he is. I mean, I don’t know that. So, that’s their decision and I just follow it. “
Bosses face the Buffalo Bills to AFC Championship on Sunday at 5:40 pm, Arrowhead time. If Mahomes is unable to play, reserve Chad Henne would be the expected starting quarterback for the Chiefs. Henne completed 6 of 8 passes and had a key 13-yard contest in the Chiefs’ 22-17 division round win.