After the Kansas City Chiefs’ thrilling 30-24 overtime win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Patrick Mahomes shared his relief following a concerning ankle injury.

“I rolled my ankle a bit awkwardly. It hurt more because it’s the same one I injured last week, so I was a bit scared. But after calming down and taking a breath, it actually wasn’t too serious,” Mahomes explained to reporters after the game.

During the fourth quarter, Mahomes required assistance from the team medical staff after he sustained the injury while making a shot-put type touchdown pass to running back Samaje Perine, which resulted in a 7-yard touchdown. As he planted to throw, Mahomes took a strange step, causing his left ankle to buckle.

Although Perine caught the ball in the end zone, the focus remained on Mahomes, who was seen on the ground in clear distress. He was ultimately helped off the field by medical personnel.

Following a brief examination in the Chiefs’ medical tent, Mahomes managed to work through the discomfort and rejoined his team on the very next offensive possession without missing a play.

“Once the doctors evaluated it and gave me the all-clear, (head coach Andy Reid) allowed me to go back in,” said Mahomes.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid mentioned to reporters that he contemplated pulling Mahomes from the game until he received reassurance about the quarterback’s condition.

“He might have the most flexible ankles I’ve ever seen. It’s amazing how he bounces back from these situations,” Reid said. “I told him I was considering taking him out, and I could tell he wanted to argue with me. He’s such a tough player.”

When Mahomes returned to the field, the crowd erupted in applause. He quickly led a 15-play, 78-yard touchdown drive, giving Kansas City a 24-17 lead with just over four minutes left in the game, capped by a 5-yard touchdown pass to DeAndre Hopkins.

Even though the Buccaneers managed to tie the game and force overtime, Mahomes guided the Chiefs on a decisive 10-play, 70-yard touchdown drive in overtime, securing their perfect record at 8-0.

In the overtime win, Mahomes threw for 291 yards and three touchdowns. This victory marks the sixth time in NFL history that a defending Super Bowl champion has begun the season with an 8-0 record.

Despite an ankle injury appearing on Kansas City’s Week 9 injury report, Mahomes fully participated in practice. He notably powered through another ankle injury during the 2022 playoff series as the team made its Super Bowl journey.

Mahomes acknowledged that his ankle may be sore in the coming week as Kansas City prepares for their Week 10 matchup against the Denver Broncos.

“I expect some swelling (on Tuesday),” said Mahomes. “But with a short week ahead, I’ll make sure to take care of it and be ready to play next week.”