Inspecting Patrick Mahomes’ excessive ankle sprain and timeline for return to the Chiefs

The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs’ path to the AFC’s No. 1 seed received slightly extra difficult on Sunday, when quarterback Patrick Mahomes got here up limping after getting tackled on a fourth down try through the fourth quarter of the crew’s 21-7 victory over the Cleveland Browns. Backup quarterback Carson Wentz closed out the victory.

On Monday, NFL Community’s Ian Rappoport reported that Mahomes was identified with a gentle excessive ankle sprain.

This isn’t Mahomes’ first time such an damage in a high-pressure state of affairs. He performed with one in 2022’s AFC Championship and Tremendous Bowl LVII, ultimately main the Chiefs to a 38-35 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.

Kansas Metropolis can also be going by way of a brutal portion of its schedule, taking part in three video games inside 11 days — two of that are towards seemingly AFC playoff groups. This provides to the complexity of analyzing Mahomes’ damage, as a result of the Chiefs haven’t locked up the highest seed — and the rival Buffalo Payments proceed to win.

The schedule makers didn’t do the Chiefs a favor by giving them a bye in Week 6, both.

So 2024 has been something however simple for Mahomes and his teammates — and it simply grew to become more difficult.

Analyzing the damage

Excessive ankle sprains generally happen with twisting or rotation — that’s, when the foot is planted and turned in relation to the leg. The damage entails harm to the syndesmosis, that are the excessive ankle ligaments connecting the 2 decrease leg bones: the fibula and the tibia.

As with all ligamentous accidents, as soon as a participant suffers an damage, they’re susceptible to recurrence sooner or later. This is similar ankle Mahomes injured in 2022.

A excessive ankle sprain will generally sideline a participant for a number of weeks. However as Mahomes has beforehand proven, he can play (and play successfully) with this damage on brief discover.

That is due not solely to Mahomes’ aggressive hearth, but additionally the character of his place and his model of play. Whereas he’s cell — and might run when crucial — he doesn’t depend on working with the soccer. With a excessive ankle sprain, working and reducing are very tough — whereas working in a straight line will not be as tough or painful.

Picture by Gregory Shamus/Getty Pictures

Nonetheless, a quarterback with an ankle damage will face a problem when pushing off their injured ankle.

Within the acute part of a high-ankle sprain, the ankle will stiffen and turn into extra swollen, making mobility tougher. Preliminary therapies will give attention to regaining a full vary of movement and mobility whereas controlling irritation. And as Mahomes has famous earlier than, his ankle feels higher with motion — however turns into extra stiff and painful when he’s off the sector.

Mahomes additionally has one other benefit: he’s been right here earlier than. He’s not solely had this damage, however has additionally been pressured to rehab on a quick timeline. The athletic coaching workers is aware of him effectively, so that they know which therapies will are usually the best for him.

The underside line

Given his historical past, Mahomes might simply play this Saturday towards the Houston Texans. If this have been a postseason recreation, there’d be little to little question he would play.

At this level, managing his damage is all about regaining movement and offering stabilization and ache administration. If the Chiefs really feel it essential for Mahomes to play — and the athletic coaching workers clears him — he’ll play.

However we must always do not forget that though his damage was characterised as delicate, it’s more likely to hassle Mahomes — no less than to some extent — for the rest of the season. Whereas re-injury and aggravation is extra seemingly within the acute part, re-aggravation might be attainable at any level after he returns to play — every time that seems to be.

With two extra video games to be performed within the subsequent eight days — and with the current efficiency of the Chiefs’ offensive line — it could be in Mahomes’ greatest long-term curiosity to relaxation and rehab for no less than 1-2 weeks earlier than the postseason. If he sits out Saturday’s recreation, Kansas Metropolis’s place within the playoff race is more likely to impression how aggressive they’re about getting Mahomes again on the sector.

After Mahomes appeared to undergo an ankle damage towards the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in early November, head coach Andy Reid joked that his quarterback “might have the loosest ankles in America.” Reid understands that Mahomes often manages to rapidly return from damage — and ship “Mahomes Magic” — within the largest moments.

We might be watching to see if he can do it once more.