KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes landed awkwardly on his left ankle while throwing a tying touchdown pass against Tampa Bay on Monday night, and just about everyone in Arrowhead Stadium seemed to hold their breath as he lay on the ground.
They didn't feel a whole lot better when trainers began to help him to the Kansas City sideline.
But after the two-time MVP was checked out, and the Chiefs' medical staff declared him fit to continue, Mahomes was right back on the field. And after leading the Chiefs to a go-ahead touchdown in regulation, which the Buccaneers matched in the final minute to force overtime, Mahomes led Kansas City on the decisive touchdown march to escape with the 30-24 victory.
“Pat's a tough guy,” said Chiefs receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who had two TD catches. “Obviously he's the leader of this offense, the leader of this team. When he went down, everybody was around him, seeing if he was all right.”
Mahomes admitted he will be sore Tuesday, and the recovery will need to be swift with the Chiefs playing again Sunday, when the Broncos come to town. But it appeared that he escaped a serious injury like the one he had during the 2022 playoffs.
“I think the playoffs one a couple of years ago was how I got tackled. It got stuck and it hurt a lot more,” he said. “Obviously I'll get a little swelling, a short week, but go in there and take care of it and be ready to play next week.”
Kansas City was trailing 17-10 and facing third-and-goal at the Buccaneers 6 when Mahomes rolled to his right. As a defender rushed toward him, Mahomes planted his left foot awkwardly while flipping a pass to Samaje Perine alone in the end zone.
Mahomes, who has a history of ankle injuries, lay face down in the grass before rolling over and grabbing at the ankle. Trainers came all the way across the field to talk to him on the Tampa Bay sideline, and they helped him halfway across the field before Mahomes shook them off and walked the rest of the way on his own.
“I wasn't sure exactly where he was going to be with it,” said Chiefs coach Andy Reid, who had instructed backup Carson Wentz to begin warming up. “He might have the loosest ankles in America. It's ridiculous how he can come back from those things.”
Mahomes finished with 291 yards passing and three touchdowns and did not throw a pick for the first time this season, helping Kansas City become only the sixth reigning Super Bowl champion to start 8-0 the following season.
Earlier in the game, Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman looked as if he also sustained a serious injury when he landed hard on his shoulder after a long punt return. But he was back to return a punt late in the second quarter and caught an important pass to convert a third down as the Chiefs were trying to tie the game 17-all early in the fourth.
Hardman's return was good news for a team already missing Marquise Brown, who hurt his shoulder in the preseason and could miss the year following surgery, and fellow receiver Rashee Rice, who underwent season-ending surgery on his knee.
JuJu Smith-Schuster has been dealing with a hamstring injury and also was inactive.
Those injuries were a big reason why the Chiefs recently traded a conditional fifth-round draft pick to the Titans for Hopkins, a three-time All-Pro who made his debut for Kansas City in last week's win over the Raiders.
Hopkins had a memorable first home game at Arrowhead Stadium.
He made a spectacular contested catch on third-and-8 inside the Tampa Bay 5 late in the second quarter, then caught a 1-yard TD pass from Mahomes and celebrated with the dance made famous by the movie “Remember the Titans.” He added the go-ahead touchdown catch with 4:17 left in the game and finished with eight catches for 86 yards on the night.
“He's so good at winning 1-on-1,” Mahomes said, “so to be able to have him down in the red zone, third-down situations — he does a good job of filling out and finding those windows. You give him a chance down the field and he makes a play.”
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Dave Skretta, The Associated Press
