Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said he's on track to play in the AFC Championship Game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday (January 29), despite an ankle injury that he experienced and played through last Saturday (January 21).
"AFC championship week," Mahomes said during his press conference on Wednesday (January 25) via ESPN. "Ready to go."
Mahomes was listed as a full participant in the Chiefs' practice on Wednesday and claimed his high ankle sprain has progressed since he suffered the injury during the first half of Kansas City's AFC Divisional Round win against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The former NFL MVP returned in the second half and finished Saturday's game with 195 yards and two touchdowns on 22 of 30 passing.
"It's doing good," Mahomes said via ESPN. "I've done a few days of treatment, a few days of rehab. Excited to get on the practice field and kind of test it out and see where I'm at. But it's feeling good so far.
"I felt better than I thought I was going to be after the game. Moving on it during the game definitely hurt. But after the game, I was able to rest it and kind of ice it up and do different stuff like that. I felt in a little bit better position, and obviously the next morning felt a little bit better, and then I've continued to get better throughout the week, so we'll see how I feel today at practice."
Mahomes, who led the NFL in passes from outside the pocket during the 2022 regular-season, was limited to pocket passing during the second half of Saturday's win, which marked only the second half of football win which he completed zero throws outside the pocket this season. The former Super Bowl champion was named as a finalist for the 2022 Associated Press Most Valuable Player award on Wednesday, along Bengals quarterback Joe Burrowj, with his AFC Championship Game opponent, as well as Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson.
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