Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes: 1st Practice Since Ankle Injury Was 'Better Than I Expected'

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is recovering from a high ankle sprain suffered in the team's 27-20 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC Divisional Round last weekend.

There's no doubt the MVP candidate will play in Sunday's AFC Championship Game against the Cincinnati Bengals, but there are questions about how limited the veteran signal-caller might be when he takes the field.

However, it's possible Mahomes might not be limited at all as his ankle has improved throughout the week. He also told reporters Thursday that he was able to get through Kansas City's first practice of the week on Wednesday with little issue.

"I thought I had a good day yesterday," Mahomes said. "Overall probably better than I expected being able to go out there and throw the football and get in the work I needed to get in."

Mahomes injured his ankle in the first quarter against Jacksonville when Jaguars pass-rusher Arden Key landed on his leg while making a tackle. He was removed from the game briefly to get X-rays and returned to the field in the third quarter with his ankle taped up.

Mahomes' mobility in the second half was visibly impacted and it altered the way he finished the game as he struggled to move around in the pocket. His mobility has been in question entering Sunday's game against Cincinnati, though he added Thursday that he believes he'll be much better by game time:

"I feel like I can still do a lot of things but we'll see as we get closer and closer. We'll see during the game, You can't fully do exactly what it's going to be like in those moments in the game. All I can do is prepare myself the best way possible and then when we get in the game you hope adrenaline takes over and you can make those throws when you need to."

Sunday's AFC Championship Game against the Bengals is a rematch of the 2022 AFCCG in which Cincinnati moved on to reach the Super Bowl, where it eventually fell to the Los Angeles Rams.

The Chiefs have never beaten the Bengals in the Joe Burrow era, and they'll be looking to do so for the first time ever on Sunday with a berth in the Super Bowl on the line. Kansas City hasn't been to the Super Bowl since the 2020 campaign when it fell to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.