Super Bowl MVP Mahomes says ankle injury will not affect availability to Chiefs
 

[February 14, 2023]
PHOENIX (Reuters) - Patrick Mahomes does not expect the high ankle sprain he re-aggravated before leading the Kansas City Chiefs to a Super Bowl triumph to keep him from taking part in his team's off-season program but said his golf game may take a hit.

Mahomes limped off the field in agony just before halftime on Sunday but came out firing in the second half as he played through the pain and rallied the Chiefs from a 10-point deficit to a 38-35 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.

"I'll for sure be ready for OTAs (organized team activities) and everything like that," he told reporters on Monday after NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell presented him with the Super Bowl MVP trophy.

"Obviously, we'll have to continue to rehab, continue the treatment that we were doing, and just give it some rest. I think the best thing for it is going to be rest.

"Just try to make sure when we get to OTAs I'm ready to go. One thing that might take a hit is my golf game. So I'll take a few weeks off of that."

Mahomes, who originally suffered the injury during a playoff game on Jan. 21 and was still hobbled by it two weeks ago during the AFC Championship against Cincinnati, hurt the ankle again when he was tackled from behind after a third-down scramble.

In visible pain, Mahomes gingerly walked off the Super Bowl field in what initially appeared to be a worst-case scenario for the Chiefs, but the 27-year-old quarterback said he knew it was something that he would play through.

"The only time that it had the real hurt in the ankle was when I got tackled, it kind of rolled to the outside a little bit," said Mahomes. "Once you have that high ankle sprain, when any little tweak like that happens, that just magnifies it.

Feb 12, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, US; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) talks to the media during a press conference after winning Super Bowl LVII against the Philadelphia Eagles at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

"Coming into the game, I felt way better than I did in the Cincinnati game. Obviously, that happened there, and luckily we were able to get in at halftime and get some new tape on there and some movement to try to get some mobility back."

"We talked about it with my offensive line. They protected me enough where I was able to sit there and make the throws. It was something I was going to play through, but I'm glad that I get a little bit of rest on it now."

Mahomes completed 21 of 27 passes during the game for 182 yards and three touchdowns, including two in the fourth quarter. The twice Super Bowl winner also ran for 44 yards, including a 26-yard scramble that helped set up the game-winning field goal.

(Reporting by Steve Keating in Phoenix; Writing by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Ken Ferris)

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