Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes landed awkwardly on his left ankle while throwing a touchdown pass to tie the game against Tampa Bay on Monday night, and nearly everyone in Arrowhead Stadium held their breath as he stayed on the ground.
They didn’t feel much better when trainers began helping him to the sideline.
But after the two-time MVP was checked out, and the Chiefs’ medical team cleared him to return, Mahomes was quickly back on the field. He helped lead the Chiefs to a go-ahead touchdown in regulation.
The Buccaneers responded with a touchdown in the final minute, forcing overtime. Then, Mahomes guided Kansas City down the field for the game-winning touchdown, securing a 30-24 victory.
“Pat’s a tough guy,” said Chiefs receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who caught two touchdown passes. “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 acknowledged that he would be sore on Tuesday, and that recovery would need to be quick since the Chiefs play again on Sunday when the Broncos visit. However, it seemed like he avoided a serious injury similar to 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-yard line when Mahomes rolled to his right. As a defender rushed toward him, Mahomes planted his left foot awkwardly while throwing a pass to Samaje Perine, who was open in the end zone.
Mahomes, who has a history of ankle injuries, lay face down on the grass before rolling over and grabbing at his ankle. Trainers quickly came across the field to check on him, and they helped him halfway across the field. However, 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 told backup Carson Wentz to start warming up. “He might have the loosest ankles in America. It’s ridiculous how he can come back from those things.”
Mahomes finished the game with 291 passing yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions for the first time this season. His performance helped 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 appeared to have a serious injury when he landed hard on his shoulder after a long punt return.
But he returned to the field later in the second quarter to catch an important pass that converted a third down while the Chiefs were trying to tie the game 17-all early in the fourth.
Hardman’s return was a relief for the team, which was already missing Marquise Brown. Brown had hurt his shoulder in the preseason and might miss the rest of the year after surgery.
The Chiefs were also without wide receiver Rashee Rice, who underwent season-ending knee surgery. JuJu Smith-Schuster, who has been dealing with a hamstring injury, was also inactive for the game.
The injuries were a big reason why the Chiefs traded a conditional fifth-round draft pick to the Titans for Hopkins, a three-time All-Pro who played his first game with Kansas City in last week’s win over the Raiders.
Hopkins had an unforgettable first home game at Arrowhead Stadium. He made an amazing contested catch on third-and-8 inside the Tampa Bay 5-yard line late in the second quarter, then caught a 1-yard touchdown pass from Mahomes.
He celebrated with a dance from the movie *Remember the Titans*. Later, Hopkins caught the go-ahead touchdown with 4:17 left in the game and finished with eight catches for 86 yards.
“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.”
