Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes says he's cleared to play in AFC Championship
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said Thursday that he's been cleared to play in Sunday's AFC Championship against the Buffalo Bills. Mahomes, who was injured in last week's game against the Cleveland Browns, said he was fully cleared by both team and independent doctors.
"Everything's been good and I've (gone) through what all the three, four different doctors have said," Mahomes said in a news conference Friday. "And everything's looked well, and I'm out of it now."
Patrick Mahomes: "Everything has looked well and I'm out of concussion protocol now."
— CBS Sports HQ (@CBSSportsHQ) January 22, 2021
Take a sigh of relief Chiefs fans QB1 is back under center pic.twitter.com/G2SHpzEsfd
Mahomes suffered the injury last Sunday in his team's 22-17 win against the Browns. His backup, veteran Chad Henne, filled in under center to close out the game and was expected to fill in should Mahomes be unavailable Sunday.
Mahomes, 25, was required to go through the league's five-step concussion protocol, which requires players to rest and then slowly increase their activities from light workouts to strength training. They're then required to undergo an independent neurological consultation by a non-team affiliated doctor.
The defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs (14-2) are currently -2.5 favorites heading into Sunday's matchup against the Bills (13-3).