The whole NFL came to a sudden stop when it happened. Patrick Mahomes, the former league MVP and current Super Bowl MVP, ran to the right for an optional routine game with the hope of winning a few yards for a first key descent against the Cleveland Browns in the AFC Divisional Round. However, there was nothing routine about the result, with the Kansas City Chiefs seeing the head of their half billion dollar investment go to the grass – followed by a scary moment when Mahomes tried and failed to stand on his own.
The franchise’s clearly dizzy defender was completely out of control and was taken to the medical tent before going to the locker room, where he was almost immediately discarded for the rest of the game. After the game, coach Andy Reid made it clear that Mahomes passed the league’s concussion protocol, which is a good sign of his availability in attack.
“He was hit in the back of the head and it kind of took his breath away and all that,” said Reid. “He’s doing really well now, which is very positive when we look at it. He approved all the deals he needed to be approved, so we’ll see where he goes from here.”
Mahomes took to Twitter to add more optimism, responding to linebacker Mack Wilson, the Browns defender who faced him in the ill-fated move.
So, if Mahomes passed all the concussion tests, what exactly happened that prevented him from getting back in the game against Cleveland? It turns out that Mahomes easily passed concussion tests because he was never supposed to have one in the first place, and the real reason he was delusional instantly was due to a nerve in his neck that was twisted (or potentially compressed) in the blow, by Carrington Harrison of CBS Sports Radio in Kansas City.
This means that while there is great news about the condition of his brain, he will still undergo tests this week on the affected nerve to make sure he has the green light against Buffalo Bills in the AFC title game (here’s a look at what he will have to do in order to play). The Chiefs may have won in the absence of Mahomes, thanks to the heroism of reserve defender Chad Henne and the provocative play calls from offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, but Kansas City will need Mahomes on the pitch to increase their chances of stalling the equally powerful Bills for a second consecutive trip to the Super Bowl.
Needless to say, this is The headline to watch this week, as Reid confirmed on Monday that Mahomes is in fact under concussion protocol this week, although he has not failed any of these tests.