Patrick Mahomes Has High Ankle Sprain; Status vs. Steelers in Doubt
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been diagnosed with a high ankle sprain after leaving his team’s 21-7 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday with the injury, and his status for his team’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in nine days in jeopardy.
Mahomes is considered week-to-week after tests revealed a mild high ankle sprain, according to a report by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network on Monday.
The Chiefs will host the Houston Texans on Saturday before coming to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers on Christmas Day. Backup quarterback Carson Wentz will almost certainly start for the Chiefs against the Texans, with Mahomes’s status for next week in Pittsburgh still to be determined.
STEELERS IN AFC PLAYOFF PICTURE
1. Kansas City Chiefs 13-1
2. Buffalo Bills 11-3
3. Pittsburgh Steelers 10-4
4. Houston Texans 9-5
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5. Baltimore Ravens 9-5
6. Denver Broncos 9-5
7. Los Angeles Chargers 8-6
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8. Indianapolis Colts 6-8
9. Miami Dolphins 6-8
10. Cincinnati Bengals 6-8
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11. New York Jets 4-10
12. Cleveland Browns 4-10
13. Jacksonville Jaguars 3-11
14. Tennessee Titans 3-11
15. New England Patriots 3-11
16. Las Vegas Raiders 2-11
Wentz finished 2 of 2 for 20 yards in mop-up duty against Cleveland, his first game with the Chiefs. He made one start with the Los Angeles Rams last year and seven with the Washington Commanders in 2022 since last having a regular starting role with the Indianapolis Colts in 2021.
The former No. 2 overall pick’s best season came back in 2017, when he threw for 3,296 yards and led the NFL in QBR while earning a Pro Bowl nod as the Philadelphia Eagles won Super Bowl LII. Wentz did not play in the Super Bowl due to injury, with backup Nick Foles winning the championship for Philly.
The 13-1 Chiefs are two games up on the 11-3 Buffalo Bills for the No. 1 overall seed and first-round bye in the AFC Playoff Picture, but the Bills hold the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Should the Chiefs beat the Texans with Wentz, and the Bills lose to the New England Patriots on Sunday, the Chiefs would have the No. 1 seed locked up before they come to Pittsburgh, making it unlikely that they would play Mahomes on a short week coming off an injury.
If the Bills keep the pressure on, though, Kansas City head coach Andy Reid might see the first-round bye as worth the risk. The Bills finish with the Pats twice and the Jets, all teams already eliminated, while the Chiefs finish with three playoff-bound teams in the Texans, Steelers and Denver Broncos.
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