Reports: NFL to Discuss the Tackle That Almost Ended Patrick Mahomes’ Super Bowl Bound Season

Published 02/04/2023, 12:31 PM EST

In the AFC Championship game, the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Cincinnati Bengals and advanced to the Super Bowl. Even though it was a last-second victory, they were still able to compete at their best and triumph. Many people couldn’t predict what would happen in the game because the leading quarterback of the Chiefs was suffering from a sprained ankle. Patrick Mahomes sustained the injury when he played against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the divisional round of the playoffs. Recently, the chatter around his injury has grown. Analysts and fans questioned the legality of the play.

Mahomes was diagnosed with a high-ankle sprain. He and his team won against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Divisional Round. The injury happened when Jaguars pass rusher landed on him as the Super Bowl-winning signal-caller tried to avoid pressure with 2:30 left on the clock in the first quarter. He went to the sidelines, came back, and was then told to go back to the locker room for more testing.

What specifically went wrong with the play that targeted Patrick Mahomes?

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The tackle that the defensive lineman Arden Key made against Mahomes is not technically illegal. However, it can change in the future. The chief medical officer of the league, Dr. Allen Sills, spoke about the ‘hip-drop’ tackle. The play is associated with causing leg and ankle injuries.

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According to the Washington Post’s Mark Maske, Dr. Sills said, “I think it’ll be a very active offseason conversation, to look at the mechanism”. He continued, “Obviously the ‘hip-drop’ tackle is not the only cause of high ankle sprains. There are certainly other factors.”

Since they cause injuries, the league will decide in the offseason if the play should be illegal or not. It will be one of the major discussions that the league could have. Apart from No. 15, a Dallas Cowboys running back, Tony Pollard, suffered a broken fibula when he went against the San Francisco 49ers.

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The NFL's Allen Sills on "hip-drop" tackles causing ankle injuries: "I think it'll be a very active offseason conversation, to look at the mechanism. Obviously the 'hip-drop' tackle is not the only cause of high ankle sprains. There are certainly other factors."
— MarkMaske (@MarkMaske) February 3, 2023

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Because the league takes such matters seriously, it will definitely take a mindful step toward reducing such problems for the athletes.

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Neha Joshi is an NFL writer at Essentially Sports. She is currently pursuing her postgraduate degree in English Literature from R.D National College, Mumbai and has also previously worked as a Graduate Intern at Jacobs.

Reports: NFL to Discuss the Tackle That Almost Ended Patrick Mahomes’ Super Bowl Bound Season

What specifically went wrong with the play that targeted Patrick Mahomes?

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