The Kansas City Chiefs were cruising in Cleveland, holding a commanding 21-7 lead as the final quarter approached.
Everything seemed perfect for the defending champions until Patrick Mahomes’ day took an unexpected turn.
During a critical fourth-and-short play, Mahomes was doing what he does best, ready to unleash one of his trademark magic moves.
Suddenly, disaster struck.
As he prepared to release the ball, two Browns defenders collided with him, twisting Mahomes in an awkward and potentially dangerous manner.
The broadcast captured the tense moment, showing Mahomes getting his left ankle taped while sitting on the bench, as The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov shared.
#Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes suffered an apparent lower-leg injury and Carson Wentz is in at QB for Kansas City. Unclear if KC is protecting Mahomes with a two-score lead or if there’s more to it.pic.twitter.com/aoS3WcJDHR
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) December 15, 2024
Fan reactions were immediate and passionate.
One fan was upset with the tackle and said, “NFL is about to kick out #94 and #51 out of the league.”
NFL is about to kick out #94 and #51 out of the league
— 49ers Faithful 34 🥋 (@49ers_34) December 15, 2024
Others chimed in with worried comments: “That didn’t look good,” and “Dang.”
That didn’t look good
— Voch (@william_voccia) December 15, 2024
Dang
— jjhurt (@823hurt835) December 15, 2024
Speculation about the injury ran wild, with one fan confidently declaring it an “Ankle Sprain,” while another grimly posted, “There goes Pat 💀💀💀💀”
Ankle sprain
— Sam Grant (@BryanMillsFist) December 15, 2024
There goes Pat 💀💀💀💀
— Hockey Barn Review (@hockeybarn_) December 15, 2024
One particularly vocal fan unleashed a scathing critique: “The Browns defenders look like they intentionally wanted to bend Mahomes like a straw. How cold-hearted do you have to be in order to do this in a season full of disappointments!”
The Browns defenders look like they intentionally wanted to bend Mahomes like a straw.
How cold hearted do you have to be in order to do this in a season full of disappointments!— Tom LeBronaldo (@LeBrady_Flex) December 15, 2024
This incident brings back memories of Mahomes’ remarkable resilience.
Fans will recall his heroic performance in the 2023 Super Bowl, where he played through a high ankle sprain to lead Kansas City to victory against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Before leaving the game, Mahomes had already thrown for 159 yards and two touchdowns against the Browns.
The Chiefs and their fans are now holding their breath, hoping this injury isn’t as serious as it initially appeared.
With Mahomes’ history of overcoming challenges, there is cautious optimism, but the potential impact on the team remains a significant concern.
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