Kansas City Chiefs fans were left holding their breath when star quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered an ankle injury late in the team’s 21-7 victory over the Cleveland Browns in Week 15. Despite the win, Mahomes’ injury quickly became the focal point of post-game discussions.

After the game, Mahomes opened up about the play that led to his injury, offering a candid breakdown of what went down. “I was trying to run up in the pocket,” Mahomes said.

“Obviously, it was fourth down, trying to make a play happen, and as I threw the ball, I kind of got hit. I haven’t seen it, but it just felt like someone hit me from behind as well, so I kind of just got rolled up on. This stuff kind of happens in football.”

Mahomes was visibly shaken after the play but tried to shake it off. However, it was clear the injury was serious enough that he couldn’t continue, and backup quarterback Carson Wentz was called into the game to finish things out.

Despite his own frustration with having to sit out, Mahomes was quick to praise Wentz’s performance. “I have a lot of trust in Carson,” he said. “He’s played football and he’s won football games. [They] put him out there, and I thought he did a great job moving the football and running time off the clock, putting us in position to win the football game.”

Mahomes admitted that it was a tough decision to leave the game, especially considering the defense was playing so well. “In the past, it was the playoffs and kind of a do-or-die situation. I thought the defense was playing really well and I wanted to go back out there,” he noted. “I probably would’ve fought a little bit harder if they would’ve gotten the game into one score.”

Nevertheless, Mahomes acknowledged the importance of thinking long-term about his recovery. With the Chiefs set to face the Houston Texans on Saturday, he knows that the key to success will be in how well he can recover from the injury in such a short timeframe.

“I think the most important thing is that I’ve kind of grown familiar with what it takes to rehab from an ankle injury in a short period of time,” Mahomes said. “I’ll be doing everything I can to get back out there as soon as possible.”

Though Mahomes noted that X-rays on the ankle were negative and described the injury as “week-to-week,” he remained optimistic about the situation. “Usually, it’s kind of the day after that we get a good sense of it,” he explained. “Obviously, there’s still adrenaline rolling. But I felt like I could’ve finished the game in different circumstances. We talked about it and decided the smart decision was to put Carson in.”

As for the immediate future, Mahomes is focusing on his rehab. His experience with injuries has given him confidence that he’ll recover in time, but as always, his priority is making sure he’s ready to lead the Chiefs to victory in the next game.

Kansas City fans are hoping that Mahomes’ determination to bounce back will keep the Chiefs in the hunt for the postseason. As the Week 16 matchup against the Texans approaches, fans and teammates alike are rallying around the reigning MVP, wishing him a swift recovery as he works to return to the field.