Leading 19-10 over the Browns and driving to extend that lead, Patrick Mahomes attempted to keep the ball on an option carry.
Mahomes was tackled awkwardly, and struggled to stand; when he was able to get to his feet, he was visibly staggered.
https://twitter.com/NotScTop10plays/status/1350927619735379970
Mahomes left the game, heading first for the blue medical tent and then back to the locker room to be evaluated by the independent neurologist, as reported by Traci Wolfson.
Watching, it’s hard to imagine it was anything other than a concussion, which was the consensus opinion on both Twitter and with Jim Nantz and Tony Romo in the booth. Nantz went so far as to say if it wasn’t a concussion, then nothing is.
He's hurt.
— Eric Edholm (@Eric_Edholm) January 17, 2021
Hate to seeing anyone react the way Mahomes just did there trying to get up
— Matt Eurich (@MattEurich) January 17, 2021
Concussion. Mahomes.
— Taylor Twellman (@TaylorTwellman) January 17, 2021
There’s obviously a danger to diagnosing this kind of thing from home, or even from the booth, but Mahomes being unable to stand like that points to at least the type of injury that should probably keep him out of the rest of the game for his own safety, whether or not it proves to have been a concussion or something else.
The Chiefs backup is Chad Henne (which is perhaps the biggest contrast in style between a starter and backup imaginable) and he replaced Mahomes and led Kansas City to a field goal. But if Mahomes is out for today and maybe further, this is a huge shakeup for the playoffs as a whole. Hopefully he can safely come back healthy as quickly as possible.
UPDATE;
Tracy Wolfson reported that Mahomes is indeed out for the game.
