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The Kansas City Chiefs head to the AFC championship game for the third time in three years, but they lost their star quarterback in Sunday afternoon’s decisive win to incumbent MVP candidate Patrick Mahomes early against the Cleveland Browns due to a concussion. As substitute Chad Henne finished strong in Kansas City’s narrow win over Cleveland, all eyes are now on Mahomes. Can he come back in time for the AFC Championship next Sunday? And what exactly does Mahomes have to do to be cleared to face the Buffalo Bills?
We’re glad you asked the question. Here’s all you need to know:
How long will Mahomes be sidelined?
It’s impossible to put a timeline on Mahomes’ return. The NFL concussion protocol is not based on the length of recovery, but rather a specific five-step rehabilitation plan. It’s not necessarily good news for the Chiefs and their fans, but it’s not necessarily bad news, either. The whole process is specific to each individual.
For reference, however, Athletic’s Lindsay Jones cites NFL concussion data as reporting that the median recovery time for the 29 QBs who suffered a concussion between 2015 and 2019 was seven days. “Recovery” in this sense is defined by the QB clearing and field feedback protocol. In other words, if Mahomes followed a similar trend, he would be on the verge of returning, as the Chiefs are expected to play exactly seven days after his injury.
What does Mahomes need to do to come back?
Complete the concussion protocol. To be precise, as explained on NFL.com, the recovery steps are as follows:
- Player rests until signs and symptoms return to their original state and undergoes neurological, cognitive and balance tests
- The player begins cardio exercises and / or stretching and balancing under the supervision of the team’s medical staff
- Player increases exercise and / or sport specific activities and begins supervised strength training
- The player continues his training and resumes his non-contact football activities (e.g. throwing, running, etc.)
- The player is cleared by the team doctor for full contact and undergoes an independent neurological examination, then returns to practice
When will the chiefs decide on its status?
There is no rush here. Mahomes can’t even return to training until he clears the first four phases of the concussion protocol, and there is a possibility that he could enter the AFC Championship game without a single full practice first. location. In other words, Kansas City likely won’t – and, technically, can’t – declare Mahomes ready to go until medics say so. It could mean Wednesday. That could mean right before the Chiefs prepare to fight for another Super Bowl bid.
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