The Kansas City Chiefs have advanced to their third consecutive AFC championship game after winning 22-17 against the Cleveland Browns. But the big question now is whether Patrick Mahomes will have a chance to play Sunday’s game against Buffalo in the AFC championship.
There is no easy answer, because there is no set timeline for players to come back from a concussion. It is possible that Muhammad will go through the concussion protocol in a week; it is equally possible that your symptoms will persist longer and be ruled out.
According to NFL concussion data collected by health data company IQVIA, the average time of the 29 quarterbacks who suffered a concussion between 2015-2019 to complete the concussion protocol and return to play was seven days.
But every concussion is different and every player who suffers a brain injury follows their own recovery timeline.
Here’s a look at the NFL protocols, where Muhammad is now, and what steps to take next:
What happened to Patrick Mahomes on Sunday?
Muhammad was a clear candidate for the concussion protocol from the moment he was helped to his feet after a blow in the third quarter. He seemed stunned and needed immediate help. He was first escorted to the medical tent outside of Chiefs, where he underwent an initial evaluation by the Chiefs team doctor and an unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant. After this brief examination, Muhammad marched into the locker room to make a full assessment of the concussion. Shortly afterwards, the team announced that he was being evaluated for a concussion and, in the early fourth quarter, was ruled out.
This decision officially places Muhammad in the concussion protocol.
What happens next with Muhammad in concussion protocol?
Muhammad will have another concussion assessment on Monday, a standard protocol for any player who suffers a head injury during a game, and will begin a five-step process for him to be allowed to play again.
There is no set number of days for how long this process can take and it would be irresponsible to speculate on this timeline based on how quickly Muhammad entered the locker room or the tweets he sent after the game.
All good brother! 💪🏽 https://t.co/ORwLG6eFTV
– Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) January 17, 2021
What are the next steps for Muhammad?
According to NFL concussion protocols, rest comes first, a symptom assessment, and light exercise. If you can exercise lightly without returning symptoms (such as a headache or sensitivity to light), you will be allowed aerobic exercise, such as running on a treadmill or riding a stationary bike. Then go back to weight training and some football exercises. It is common for a player who is still in this phase of the concussion protocol to be seen on the training ground working side by side with a strength and conditioning coach. If symptoms have not returned, Muhammad would be allowed to resume football training without contact with his teammates.
During these first four phases, Muhammad will undergo additional neurological testing and will only be allowed to return to full contact football activities once his brain function returns to baseline levels, according to his preseason neurological assessment.
Only if the symptoms remain in line during all these phases will Muhammad be allowed to return, either for full participation in the practice or for a game.
Who determines if Muhammad can play next week against the Bills?
It will not be a matter of Muhammad. Chiefs medical staff will be the first to remove Muhammad, but that decision will need to be reviewed and confirmed by an independent neurologist.
(Photo: David Eulitt / Getty Images)