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KANSAS City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid had strong comments concerning Patrick Mahomes’ backup quarterback.
Mahomes suffered a mild high-ankle sprain in the Chiefs’ Week 15 win over the Cleveland Browns.
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Fortunately for Kansas City, the three-time Super Bowl MVP Mahomes participated fully in practice on Tuesday, indicating that he can play against the Houston Texans on Saturday.
However, if Mahomes is unable to play in the Week 16 game, Andy Reid believes the 13-1 Chiefs can be successful if Carson Wentz makes the start.
“We have full confidence in Carson,” the head coach said, per ESPN. “If he has to step in and play, then I think everybody, coaches and players, has full confidence that he can go in and do a nice job.
“He’s started in the league and been successful. He’s got a great feel for this offense.
“Very smart, big arm. I like the way he carries himself. I like everything about him.
“He should be starting in this league somewhere, so he’s a heck of a player.”
Wentz replaced Mahomes in the fourth quarter of the contest against the Browns.
The former first-round pick is in his first season with the Chiefs and made all two of his completions in the road game for 20 yards.
Mahomes’ high ankle sprain injury is a similar one he suffered in a 2022 divisional-round playoff game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The 29-year-old revealed that his current injury isn’t as severe as the previous one.
And Mahomes still returned to the playoff game and played in both the AFC Championship Game against the Super Bowl during that playoff run.
Reid also told reporters that the team won’t factor the short turnaround from Saturday’s game to their Christmas game against the Pittsburgh Steelers into their plans with Mahomes.
“If he can go, he’ll go,” the 66-year-old said. “If he can’t, then he can’t. It’s that simple. That’s how we’ll roll. I’ll just take it day by day and see how he does.”
Kansas City clinched the AFC West and a playoff spot but is eyeing the No. 1 seed, which has a first-round postseason bye and home-field advantage attached to it.
They can clinch the top AFC spot with two victories in their last three games.
“I wouldn’t say it’s dire that I play,” Mahomes said on Tuesday. “It’s not in the AFC Championship Game where we’re playing to get to the Super Bowl.
“We have a little bit of room to kind of spare, but at the end of the day, we’re trying to win.
“We’re trying to win the football game and I’m a competitor.
“I want to go out there and play, so I’ll push myself to get to the best place possible over these next few days and we’ll be able to make a decision then.”
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