Patrick Mahomes admitted his injured ankle is still "not 100 per cent" after suffering the issue during the Kansas City Chiefs’ run to Super Bowl glory.
Back in February, the Chiefs secured a dramatic 38-35 win over the Philadelphia Eagles in a game which will go down as an all-time classic. Kansas City quarterback Mahomes threw for 182 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Chiefs to a sensational win, which was secured by kicker Harrison Butker with just eight seconds remaining.
Mahomes admirably soldiered through his high ankle sprain to lead the Chiefs to victory, as he rushed for 44 yards on six attempts including a crucial 26-yard on the game-winning fourth-quarter drive. The 24-year-old was diagnosed with a Grade 2 sprain against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs.
After lifting the Lombardi Trophy, the two-time MVP said he would be fit and ready for OTAs. However, Mahomes told reporters on Monday that while he isn’t too limited during offseason workouts, he is not 100 per cent.
“Now it's been more about just kind of managing it, getting the mobility back the best that I possibly can," Mahomes explained. “I wouldn't say I'm 100 per cent, but I've had no, necessarily, limitations. It's just that when you go through the grind of a week of training and you're trying to push it and go through the rehab process, but at the same time you want to make sure you're still building.
“You might be a little sore on the weekends, but we've done a great job of pushing it to the right limit to where now I'm throwing and stuff like that and having no limitations there. I think running and cutting there will still be a little limitations going the next few weeks but I'm happy with where I'm at. We will keep pushing it and getting me to the right spot for the beginning of the season."
In the second quarter of the Super Bowl, Mahomes rushed for nine yards when he was tackled by Eagles linebacker T.J. Edwards. It appeared innocuous but the Chiefs star was taken down by his right ankle, which he sprained three weeks ago. Mahomes writhed in pain and was slow to his feet while backup Chad Henne began warming up only for the Super Bowl MVP to inspire his team with a courageous performance. Since then, the 27-year-old has had two months to recover - and he believes encouraging progress has been made.
“I feel like the foot was way more serious, I guess you would say, than the ankle has been,” Mahomes added. “The foot, with having the surgery and having that cast on, really cut my mobility down a lot. So, I really had to work through that into the season that next year. With the ankle, I feel like we've improved, especially these last few weeks, a ton.
“As far as the swelling that went down, finally, and I don't have that soreness just as much as I was having it after a few days of work. With the improvements that we're making these last few weeks, I have a great feeling that by the time we get to training camp, it won't even be any question at all.
“We will continue to work through at OTAs. I don't think there will be any limitations on reps or anything like that, especially (because) I'm not running around a ton, but at the same time we will continue the rehab process and making sure that by the time we get to training camp I can just will roll out there and feel perfectly fine.”
