As the Kansas City Chiefs push toward securing the No. 1 seed, all eyes are on Patrick Mahomes and his injured ankle.
With Saturday’s crucial matchup against the Houston Texans looming, the question of whether Mahomes will play remains up in the air.
The Injury: How It Happened
During the fourth quarter of Sunday’s victory over the Cleveland Browns, Mahomes rolled his ankle while being tackled by Dalvin Tomlinson on a fourth-down play.
After limping off the field, it was later confirmed that the star quarterback suffered a high-ankle sprain—a concerning diagnosis for a player as central to the Chiefs’ success as Mahomes.
Carson Wentz stepped in to replace the three-time Super Bowl champion, but the injury left a shadow of uncertainty as Kansas City looks ahead to a packed festive schedule.
Day-by-Day: Will Mahomes Play on Saturday?
The Chiefs are staying cautious, with head coach Andy Reid emphasizing that the decision will be made “day-by-day.”
Reid confirmed Mahomes would test things out at practice on Tuesday and monitor his progress closely alongside the team’s medical staff.
“We’ll see how it works out for him,” Reid said, adding that backup Carson Wentz will take any snaps Mahomes can’t manage in practice.
“If he can’t work, Carson will step in. But if Patrick can go, he’ll go.”
Mahomes’ Mindset: Pushing to Play
Never one to sit out easily, Mahomes himself shared his determination to get back on the field.
Speaking to reporters during a press conference, he stressed the balance between his competitive drive and what’s best for the team.
“The reason you play this game is to push to play,” Mahomes said.
“I’ll get to work at practice and try to push it to see where I can get to. But I’m not going to put our team in a bad position. If I can play and win a football game, I’ll play. If not, I’ll let guys like Carson step in.”
Mahomes also revealed that X-rays taken after Sunday’s game were negative.
He admitted he would have lobbied harder to stay in had the Browns made it a closer contest.
While he walked gingerly off the field, he showed no clear signs of favoring the injury in the locker room or during his postgame duties.
A Packed Schedule: What’s Next for the Chiefs?
The Chiefs face a crucial stretch as the regular season winds down.
With a 13-1 record, they are on track to secure home-field advantage for the playoffs—but every game counts.
First up is Saturday’s matchup against the Houston Texans, where the Chiefs need all hands on deck to lock down the top spot in the AFC.
Just four days later, they’ll take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in a highly anticipated Christmas Day showdown.
For now, the spotlight remains on Mahomes and his recovery.
Will he be ready to take the field this Saturday? Chiefs fans will have to wait and see—one day at a time.