Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes briefly left his team’s AFC Divisional Round game against the Jacksonville Jaguars with an ankle injury, but he returned to the game and threw a crucial touchdown pass late to help lead his team to a 27-20 victory.
Mahomes completed 22 of 30 passes for 195 yards and two scores. Those are pedestrian numbers by the superstar’s standards, but that stat line proved quite impressive, considering that he missed the entire second quarter with the ailment and played hurt all of the second half.
Mahomes suffered the injury late in the first quarter after a hit from pass-rusher Arden Key.
He stayed in the game until the end of the first quarter but eventually left for the locker room.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that his X-rays taken during halftime were negative but that the star signal-caller apparently suffered a high ankle sprain.
That didn’t stop Mahomes from returning for the second half, which started with the Chiefs leading 17-10 after backup Chad Henne led Kansas City on a 98-yard touchdown drive capped by Travis Kelce’s second touchdown of the game.
The tight end starred on this evening with 14 receptions, 98 receiving yards and his pair of scores, and he and Mahomes ultimately led Kansas City to the AFC Championship Game alongside a gritty defensive effort.
Mahomes helped close this one out late with a fantastic 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that ended with a one-legged pass to Marquez Valdes-Scantling for a six-yard score.
It was a huge moment after the Jags had just cut the Kansas City lead to 20-17 following Travis Etienne Jr.’s four-yard touchdown run.
Jacksonville nailed a field goal in the final minute, but it was too little and too late as the Chiefs emerged victorious despite Mahomes playing through injury.
Twitter recognized his efforts postgame.
