DENVER — Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes left Thursday night’s win over the Denver Broncos after suffering a right knee injury in the second quarter.
The NFL’s reigning MVP was injured on a quarterback sneak on fourth down with just over nine minutes remaining in the first half. As medical staff attended to him on the field, it appeared Mahomes’ knee was straightened and popped back into place.
A cart came onto the field, apparently to take Mahomes for treatment. He was instead helped off the field by a couple of trainers. Players from both teams came by to offer encouragement.
Mahomes, 24, soon left for the locker room, walking under his own power but with a limp. He was in the X-ray room for only two minutes before the Chiefs ruled him out, according to the Fox broadcast.
The team did not immediately offer details on the nature of the injury. According to the broadcast, Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Mahomes told him he was going to be OK on his way off the field.
After the game, Reid said the team would wait to get back to Kansas City before offering further evaluation.
A source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that the Chiefs “will not know more until the [MRI] images.” If there isn’t damage, the best-case timeline for Mahomes “would be around three weeks,” a source said.
Mahomes addressed his teammates in the locker room following the game, a 30-6 victory: “Take care of yourself this weekend. Enjoy yourself. Be smart. We got more to go, baby,” he said, smiling. He could be seen limping in the locker room, with his leg in a black sleeve or brace. He appeared in good spirits as he slapped hands with teammates.
Mahomes entered Thursday’s game hobbled by a left ankle injury he tweaked in a Week 5 loss to the Colts, when a teammate accidentally stepped on him. He played through the ankle injury in Sunday’s loss to the Texans and intended to do so again on Thursday. Reid said Mahomes suffering the knee injury Thursday on a quarterback sneak was “a freak thing.”
Veteran Matt Moore, who joined the Chiefs late in the preseason after backup Chad Henne broke his right ankle, replaced Mahomes.
Moore appeared in one game previously this season, throwing an incomplete pass against the Jaguars. Prior to that, he hadn’t played in an NFL game since 2017 with the Miami Dolphins.
Entering the night, Kansas City’s Super Bowl odds were 8-1 and its AFC title odds were 7-2, per Caesars Sportsbook. Caesars has since taken the odds down with Mahomes’ status up in the air.
The Chiefs will have nine days off until their next game on Oct. 27 against the Packers.