To play or not to play: Favre says it’s not a no-brainer for Mahomes
Updated Friday, January 22, 2021
There’s a surreal air of optimism about the Kansas City Chiefs’ magical quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, springing back from concussion, a sprained big toe and a very sore neck, just in time for Sunday evening’s nationally televised AFC Championship Game. The Chiefs, including Mahomes, expect him to play in it.
Cruising through four of the NFL’s concussion protocols, he was cleared by neurologists for non-contact practice with the Chiefs on Wednesday. On Thursday he took most of the quarterbacking reps, though still avoiding contact.
Coaches, players and fans assume a happy ending, Mahomes leading the reigning Super Bowl champs onto the Arrowhead Stadium field to face the Buffalo Bills. Usually the players play. The more important the game, the greater the temptation to err on the side of risking brain damage.
Brett Favre, Hall of Fame quarterback, offered cautionary words to Mahomes in an interview with TMZ Sports. Favre now regrets playing 321 consecutive games and laughing off whatever starry nights he saw or bells he heard following violent collisions.
“When you’re in the moment, and you’re young, you’re bulletproof,” he said. “I’m 51 years old, and I’m wondering what tomorrow will bring because of concussions more than anything. The protocol is in place. Let’s see if they follow it.”
Favre called it “a test for the NFL, to see a star player in a crucial game. If the doctors choose that he doesn’t play, it’s the right move, because of the long-term damage.”
It could be that Mahomes’ neck is more an issue than his head. When linebacker Mack Wilson wrenched him to the ground in the third quarter of Sunday’s divisional playoff with Cleveland, an arm hooked around the quarterback’s neck and twisted it. His right shoulder and helmet were pushed into the turf.
Mahomes rose to his feet, but wobbled. He grabbed his shoulder several times, indicating discomfort. His teammates had to help him leave the field.
But as Chiefs coach Andy Reid pointed out to reporters, “You saw him running up the tunnel. He was feeling pretty good.”
Mahomes left the quarterbacking for most of the second half to 35-year-old vagabond Chad Henne. From a hospital bed Mahomes cheerfully tweeted: “HENNETHING IS POSSIBLE.”
Indeed, the lightly credentialed Henne overcame a dreadful end-zone interception to make several clutch plays and hold onto a 22-17 victory.
What shouldn’t be ignored is how battered Mahomes was by the Browns. During the second quarter he jammed his left big toe and was limping from then on.
Chris Simms, former NFL quarterback who now analyzes the position for NBC Sports Network, said that Mahomes’ injury, known as “turf toe,” is “extremely painful . . . You can’t push off. . . . It led to Dion Sanders retiring. Mahomes won’t be able to run around. But because it’s his left foot, I don’t think it will affect his throwing.”
Reid says “the toe is fine. I don’t think it will be a problem.”
Of course, we heard the same about Aaron Donald’s ribs leading up to last weekend’s divisional playoffs. Donald missed about half the snaps as his Los Angeles Rams lost to Green Bay.
By publicly vouching for their players’ health, coaches like Reid and the Rams’ Sean McVay put subtle pressure on the players to deny the pain and the possible long-term effects. This is a win-now league.
Video evidence is ambiguous about the injury that put Mahomes out of last Sunday’s game. Some impartial observers did not see a violent collision when he was tackled while carrying the ball on a speed option, which was not one of Reid’s wisest calls, considering the status of the quarterback’s left foot.
For all the love and respect Reid has earned, he seems to have a blind spot concerning his quarterback’s health. Last season, when Mahomes was nut fully recovered from a sprained ankle, Reid used him on a fourth-and-1 run that resulted in a dislocated kneecap that did not heal for several weeks.
Even if he plays Sunday, Mahomes will be less than 100%. How much less we don’t know. And if he doesn’t play, how huge is the dropoff to Chad Henne?
The Chiefs go from the Super Bowl MVP to a career backup who didn’t disginguish himself in two seasons of starting for the Miami Dolphins and two for the Jacksonville Jaguars. His career numbers shout backup: 60 touchdowns, 63 picks, 59.5% completions.
But Henne did make the two biggest plays of the Sunday playoff. With just under two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, he faced third-and-14. And even though he’s not a fast runner, he scrambled for 13 yards.
Then came his second big play, on fourth-and-1 in the Chiefs’ half of the field and 1:16 remaining in the game. CBS announcer Tony Romo, former Dallas Cowboys quarterback famous for anticipating what an offense will do, was certain the Chiefs with a 5-point lead would try to draw the Browns offsides. Then, if that ruse failed, as it probably would, they’d punt.
But Reid was standing on the sideline next to offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, and they were thinking go-for-it. Speaking through his red mask, Reid asked: “Are you ready to roll?”
“Let’s go,” Bieniemy said.
So Henne completed a 5-yard pass to Tyreek Hill for a first down that allowed the Chiefs to run out the clock. Romo exclaimed: “Only Andy Reid gets in shotgun on fourth and an inch! And throws the ball with the backup quarterback! There’s no way!”
He would have expected Mahomes to make the play, but not Chad Henne. Which tells us that Reid’s offensive system is so brilliant that mediocre players can thrive, as long as they avoid dropping or fumbling the football.
Still, Las Vegas senses it’s difficult to bet on the Chiefs minus Mahomes. The assumption is that Mahomes plays, so the Chiefs are 3-point favorites over Buffalo. But Mahomes must clear the fifth and final protocol. If an independent neurologist decides Saturday that his cognition is too impaired for him to play football, the odds will shift to Bills -4. So much at stake, so much at risk, so much for Patrick Mahomes to think about.
