Patrick Mahomes' Hand 'Bruised Up Pretty Good;' Chiefs QB Didn't Suffer Break

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered a hand injury during Sunday's game against the New England Patriots but remained in the game for what became a 23-16 win.  

"Patrick's hand is OK," head coach Andy Reid said Monday, per BJ Kissel of the team's official site. "It's bruised up pretty good but there's no break."

This will be something for the team to monitor ahead of the Week 15 game against the Denver Broncos.

Mahomes has established himself as one of the league's best players since the Chiefs traded up to select him with the 10th overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft. His impressive resume already features the MVP and Offensive Player of the Year Awards from last season when he tossed 50 touchdowns.

The 24-year-old Texas Tech product has remained mostly durable throughout his football career. He played all 25 games over his final two seasons with the Red Raiders after becoming the starter. He made all 16 starts for the Chiefs in 2018 after taking the offensive reins from Alex Smith.

His first significant setback came in Week 7 when he suffered a dislocated patella, forcing him to miss two games. Matt Moore started both games and went 1-1 while completing 69.01 percent of his passes and throwing for three touchdowns.

If the Chiefs look to let Mahomes' hand recover, Moore will step in if the third-year superstar is forced from the lineup. Fellow veteran Chad Henne is also available as a backup.

Ultimately, the Chiefs are a strong bet to make the postseason in the AFC despite Mahomes' injury, so they will likely play it safe with the franchise signal-caller. Making sure he's as close to 100 percent as possible for the stretch run of the regular season and the playoffs is the most important factor.