Patrick Mahomes is running out of time!
The Kansas City Chiefs superstar and Super Bowl MVP is threatened with failure against the Bufallo Bills in the NFL playoffs. The AFC Championship game could go on without the quarterback over the weekend, without the biggest star the NFL has to offer. It would also be a disaster for the league. (Everything about the NFL)
Mahomes is not injured. But a complex procedure to protect players could still prevent its use. The playmaker hit his opponent Mack Wilson in his head against the Cleveland Browns last Sunday, then stumbled across the field and was taken out of the game by the officials in the 22:17 victory after this scene in the middle of the third quarter.
Mahomes ended up – as it is now prescribed in the NFL for head injuries – in the “Concussion Protocol”. This happens as a precaution if there is even a suspicion of a concussion. It is not clear whether the 25-year-old has this injury at all.
Mahomes has to go through five stages
Now the star has to overcome some hurdles so that he can intervene against the Bills again.
Head injuries have been a dominant issue in the NFL for years, so there are clear rules in place. The players and teams have no say in the decision on whether the stars are ready for action. “For me as a coach it’s a sure-fire success. I don’t have to think about it. I just have to follow the decision in the end,” said head coach Andy Reid. “There is just this very precise protocol.”
Mahomes ended up in the process without a previous diagnosis because, according to the league, “all players who show gross motor instability” have to go through this protective measure to protect them. So it’s exactly about cases like the quarterback who couldn’t even get up on his own after the collision.
The passer must now go through five stages in the concussion protocol. (SERVICE: All games and results)
The first step is for the player to do light stretches and balance training before they can do light exercises.
Independent doctor must give Mahomes permission
Thereafter, the actor is allowed cardio training and dynamic stretching, along with neurological testing and balance training.
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In the third step, the stars can return to light football training, specifically: 30 minutes of exercises under the supervision of a trainer. However, neither a ball nor an opponent may be involved.
Only in the fourth stage can football activities be extended to contactless exercises such as throwing and running. Another series of tests must again show normal results. (SERVICE: All NFL divisions at a glance)
Finally, the team doctor must approve the contact. Once that’s done, an independent health professional will perform neurological tests. A player may only return to team training and is entitled to play if he / she is released.
Is time running away from Mahomes?
Mahomes would have to go through these five steps without complications before the kick-off against the Bills.
It is very different in the NFL how long the professionals need to go through the complete protocol. Some never miss a game, while others miss several games or even the rest of the season. The league deliberately does not set a time limit for the individual steps.
So it will be a tremendous game for Mahomes. On average, it takes a quarterback seven days to get out of the concussion protocol. And the chiefs have no chance of setting up their superstar on their own against the regulations.
The deployment will therefore only be decided at short notice.
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