Mahomes Brushes Off Elbow Injury As MRI Shows No Damage
· Yahoo Sports
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes took a major hit near the end of the first half from New York Jets pass rusher David Bailey, but the elbow injury Mahomes suffered on the play came up clean on a post-game MRI, per Nate Taylor of ESPN.
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Mahomes was sandwiched between Bailey and two other Jets pass rushers, and initially his arm was hanging at his side after the play. He grimaced as he got up after the brutal sack, then flexed his elbow on the sidelines, threw a couple of warmup passes and returned to the game without missing an offensive snap.
"If I'm able to play, I'm going to play," Mahomes said after it was over. "That's part of the game.”
He added that it “scares you” when there’s pain in certain parts of the body, but he had it worked on at halftime, then throughout the second half on the sidelines.
The MRI didn’t reveal a major injury, but Mahomes will be monitored for swelling and ongoing soreness. He also said he’s never had elbow isssues, even when he pitched in high school and didn’t ice his elbow after throwing.
Mahomes’ ace in the hole is Julie Frymyer, one of the Chiefs top assistant athltic trainers. She spent extensive time with Mahomes after his knee surgery back in January, and the quarterback trusts here implicitly.
Coach Andy Reid did say the Chiefs adjusted their offensive game plan at halftime to focus on short throws, which were succesful with running back Kenneth Walker III. Kansas City had no trouble putting away the Jets as they posted a 35-12 win, especially when they got their pass rush going in the second half.
Reid went on to add that Mahomes “did some nice things,” even with the sore arm. The coach said he didn’t know his exact status until the Chiefs were getting ready to start their next series.
Mahomes averaged just 2.8 air yards per attempt, per Taylor via Next Gen Stats, with that number being his second fewest in a game in his career. He finished with 23 completions on 31 attempts for 242 yards and two touchdowns, both occurring before the injury. His longest pass of the second half went for a 38-yard gain to tight end Travis Kelce, with Taylor adding that that ball traveled 15 yards in the air.
There’s no rest for the weary if the aftereffects of the injury are lingering, as the Chiefs had an early bye, with the Atlanta Falcons next up on the schedule.