Brett Favre Gives Patrick Mahomes Advice on Concussions: 'Gotta Be Smart'

Brett Favre, known as the NFL's ironman at the quarterback position during his playing career, has advice for Patrick Mahomes: Sit out if you're feeling less than 100 percent.

"It kind of goes against everything I stood for when I played. But, you got to be smart. You've got to be smart," Favre told TMZ Sports.

Mahomes is in the NFL's concussion protocol after taking a hit and falling awkwardly in Sunday's divisional-round win over the Cleveland Browns. Such a protocol did not exist until 2011, a year after Favre's retirement. 

The Hall of Famer says he's far more cognizant of head injuries now than he ever was during his playing days.

"When you're in the moment, and you're young, you're bulletproof, man," Favre said. "But, I'm 51 years old, and I'm wondering what tomorrow will bring because of concussions more than anything."

The NFL's protocol has a baseline that players must pass before they can be cleared for contact. Mahomes' status for Sunday's AFC Championship Game against the Buffalo Bills will be dependent on his ability to pass those benchmarks, rather than any subjective decision.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid admitted that Mahomes may have gone back into last week's game in the pre-protocol era.

"There was a chance back in the day that Patrick comes back in [the game]," Reid told reporters. "You saw him run up the tunnel. By the time he got to that point, he was feeling pretty good. But there's a certain protocol you have to follow and that takes it out of the trainer's hand and the player's hand and the doctor's hand."

Reid indicated that Mahomes "passed all the deals he needed to pass" after Sunday's game. Oddsmakers currently expect Mahomes to play against the Bills, keeping the Chiefs as the Super Bowl favorites and favorites over Buffalo.

Favre estimated in 2018 that he suffered "thousands" of concussions during his NFL career.