The Kansas City Chiefs were nearly derailed by a bum ankle last season. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes eventually powered through a lingering ankle injury to lead KC to victory in Super Bowl 57. Months later, head coach Andy Reid opened up about how terrifying the injury looked in person.
Reid had a conversation with Peter King during Chiefs training camp at Missouri State University for the sportswriter’s Football Morning in America column. The Chiefs coach was asked Friday about the moment Mahomes injured his ankle during the divisional round against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Mahomes’ ankle twisted in a grotesque manner after getting tackled by Jaguars linebacker Arden Key, as seen in the video here.
“It looked broken,” Andy Reid told King. “I was there, right near where it happened. I saw it. I couldn’t put him back in with that. … Had him calm down a little bit. I came back to him and I said, ‘I’m not putting you back in until you go get the thing checked.’”
There’s been renewed interest in Mahomes’ ankle injury of late. The moment was featured in the Netflix series “Quarterback” released last month. A distraught Mahomes was caught on camera throwing a fit as Reid told him to get his ankle checked first before being allowed to return to the field against the Jaguars.
Reid recalled a decision two decades prior that pushed him to stay cautious with Mahomes in January. Reid, who was coaching the Philadelphia Eagles in 2002, allowed Donovan McNabb to stay in the game after the QB was hurt. Reid’s side eventually won the Week 11 contest 38-14, but McNabb was ruled out for the season with a fractured fibula.
The Chiefs eventually got good news as Mahomes was cleared to return to action against the Jaguars. The 2-time MVP went 22-of-30 for 195 yards and 2 touchdowns in the 27-20 win. Despite not being at full strength, Mahomes still led the Chiefs to the championship.
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