The Kansas City Chiefs are through to their third consecutive AFC Championship game after a 22-17 win over the Cleveland Browns. But the big question now is whether Patrick Mahomes will be free to play in Sunday’s AFC championship game against Buffalo.
There is no easy answer as there is no set timeline for players to return from a concussion. It’s possible that Mahomes will go through the concussion protocol within a week; it is equally possible that his symptoms last longer and he is excluded.
According to the NFL’s concussion data, collected by the data company IQVIA, the median time for the 29 quarterbacks who suffered a concussion between 2015-2019 to complete the concussion protocol and return to play was seven days.
But every concussion is different, and every player who has a brain injury follows their own recovery timeline.
Here’s a look at the NFL’s protocols, where Mahomes is now and what steps come next:
What happened to Patrick Mahomes on Sunday?
Mahomes was a clear candidate for the concussion protocol from the moment he was lifted after a hit in the third quarter. He seemed dazed and needed immediate help. He was first escorted to the Chiefs ‘sideline medical tent, where he underwent an initial evaluation by the Chiefs’ team physician and an unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant. After that brief exam, Mahomes ran to the locker room for a complete concussion. The team announced shortly later that he was being assessed for a concussion, and was ruled out by the beginning of the fourth quarter.
That decision officially places Mahomes in the concussion protocol.
What happens next to Mahomes in concussion protocol?
Mahomes will have another concussion evaluation on Monday, standard protocol for any player who has sustained a head injury during a match, and will begin a five-step process to be cleared to play again.
There is no set number of days for how long this process can take, and it would be irresponsible to speculate on that timeline based on things like how quickly Mahomes got into the locker room, or the tweets he sent out after the game.
All good brother! 💪🏽 https://t.co/ORwLG6eFTV
– Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) January 17, 2021
What are the next steps for Mahomes?
According to the NFL’s concussion protocols, rest, an evaluation of symptoms, and light exercise comes first. If he can do light exercise without the symptoms returning (such as a headache or sensitivity to light), he will be cleared for aerobic exercise, such as running on a treadmill or riding a stationary bike. Next comes a return to strength training and some soccer practice. It often happens that a player who is still in this phase of the concussion protocol works on the practice field on the side with a strength and conditioning trainer. If symptoms have not returned, Mahomes would be freed to resume contactless football practice with his teammates.
During these first four phases, Mahomes will undergo further neurological testing, and should not return to full-contact football activities until his brain function returns to baseline, based on his pre-season neurological evaluation.
Only if symptoms remain at bay during all these phases will Mahomes be released to return, either for full participation in training or for a game.
Who decides whether Mahomes can play against the Bills next week?
It’s not up to Mahomes. The Chiefs’ medical staff will be the first to release Mahomes, but that decision needs to be reviewed and confirmed by an independent neurologist.
(Photo: David Eulitt / Getty Images)