Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes returned to Saturday's 27-20 Divisional Round win against the Jaguars despite suffering a right ankle injury in the first quarter that caused him to miss the majority of the second frame.
The star QB pushed through pain, returning after halftime to finish the game with 22 completions on 30 attempts for 195 yards and two TDs to ensure his Chiefs the victory.
"He's a tough kid," Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said about Mahomes after the game. "So, he wanted to be in there. He wanted to be competing. It's a tribute to him and his competitiveness. However, you got to make sure he's physically OK where he can protect himself. If he can't then he can't play, and we have to go to the next guy. But he's a tough nut. I tell you, he's competitive. He's very, very competitive."
Mahomes' X-rays came back negative, but NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported during halftime that the injury appears to be a high ankle sprain.
The injury occurred when Mahomes got his ankle caught and rolled up under Jaguars linebacker Arden Key at the tail end of a short, four-yard pass.
Mahomes remained in the game for the remainder of the drive, using the break between the first and second quarter to have his ankle wrapped, but he later went to the locker room for evaluation and did not return for Kansas City's third drive.
"I did want to go and they kind of gave me the ultimatum of I wasn't going back in unless I went in [to be looked at]," Mahomes told NBC's Melissa Stark on the field after the game. "They're trying to take care of me, and we've got a lot of great people here. It will take a lot to keep me out of a football game."
He was 12-of-15 passing for 84 yards and a touchdown to tight end Travis Kelce at the time of his departure.
Longtime Chiefs backup Chad Henne relieved Mahomes for one drive that leaned on the run game and ultimately went 98 yards for a score.
Mahomes managed to complete 10 of his 15 attempts upon his return in the second half for 111 yards and a leaping six-yard TD throw to Marquez Valdes-Scantling off his good foot. But he primarily operated a quick-pass offense and rarely looked comfortable setting his feet to throw or managing handoffs to running backs from under center.
With Mahomes ailing, Kansas City received big-time performances from several offensive playmakers and the defense as a whole. Kelce led the team with 14 receptions for 98 yards and a TD catch from each quarterback, while Isiah Pacheco was far and away the team's leader on the ground with 12 carries for 95 yards (7.9 yards per carry).
Meanwhile, the defense forced two crucial second-half turnovers to help hold leads, never allowing the game to get knotted up despite the Jaguars twice making it a one-possession game in the fourth quarter.
The Chiefs have now reached their fifth straight AFC Championship Game with Mahomes as a starter after he gutted his way through injury for a 5-0 career record in the Divisional Round.
Now he awaits a week of recuperation in order to face either the Bills or Bengals in the AFC championship, a game the quarterback is optimistic about taking the field for.
"X-rays were negative," Mahomes said. "They haven't diagnosed anything yet, but I'll be good to go."
