Photo: Getty Images
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was officially taken off the injury report on Thursday (December 19) and will start in Saturday's (December 20) game against the Houston Texans, despite a mild high-ankle sprain.
Mahomes, 29, was a full participant in practice this week and was reportedly "projecting confidence when it comes to his chances of playing," ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported prior to Thursday's injury report.
"He did project confidence all day. He walked into that press conference room with no brace or wrap on his ankle, he was just wearing tennis shoes tied, no visible limp. On the practice field, no limp, in the stretching exercises during the limited viewing we saw. He's been in the building, really, about 12 hours a day, he said, trying to get that ankle right with the right movement to get himself loose for Friday," Fowler said of Mahomes, acknowledging that head coach Andy Reid said the quarterback would be "day to day."
Reid said he wanted to see "what he does, how he does, feels," adding that Mahomes is "always honest with me" about injuries.
Mahomes was seen limping after being hit high and low in the fourth quarter of last Sunday's (December 15) game against the Cleveland Browns with his team ahead 21-7. The three-time Super Bowl MVP was being tended to on the sideline during the Browns' ensuing offensive possession.
Veteran quarterback Carson Wentz entered the game with 5:23 remaining. Mahomes finished with 159 yards and two touchdowns on 19 of 38 passing, as well as 14 yards on two rushing attempts.
The three-time NFL MVP had previously suffered a a non-contact injury after throwing a 7-yard touchdown pass to Samaje Perine with 14:14 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Chiefs' Monday Night Football win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on November 4. Mahomes returned to play on the ensuing possession, throwing for his third touchdown pass of the game and second to wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, putting the Chiefs ahead, 24-17, with 4:17 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Mahomes also previously rolled his ankle during the Chiefs' Week 8 road win against the Las Vegas Raiders but didn't miss a snap. Kansas City held on to win, 21-7, to extend its winning streak to four games and improve its record to an AFC-best 13-1.