Report: Chiefs 'Operating on the Assumption' Patrick Mahomes Will Play in AFC Championship Game

Two reports from members of Kansas City media on Monday morning point to positivity regarding Patrick Mahomes' potential availability against the Buffalo Bills in next Sunday's AFC Championship Game.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was knocked out of the Chiefs' 22-17 victory over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, potentially putting his availability for the AFC Championship Game in jeopardy. However, a series of reports Sunday night and Monday morning have provided small pieces of positive news in regards to Mahomes' potentially speedy recovery.

Monday morning, Sam Mellinger of The Kansas City Star tweeted two bits of news on the Chiefs' optimism for Mahomes' potential return against the Buffalo Bills next Sunday.

"Six days out and protocols to clear so nobody knows anything for sure but I’d describe the Chiefs’ general mood as cautiously optimistic that Patrick Mahomes will play against the Bills," Mellinger tweeted.

Roughly 45 minutes later, Mellinger added an update.

"Update: let's just say the mood around Mahomes ranges from cautiously optimistic to 100 percent sure he will play. He still needs to #ClearTheDeals, but for now I'm operating on the assumption that he's playing on Sunday."

Update: let's just say the mood around Mahomes ranges from cautiously optimistic to 100 percent sure he will play.

He still needs to #ClearTheDeals, but for now I'm operating on the assumption that he's playing on Sunday.

— Sam Mellinger (@mellinger) January 18, 2021

Carrington Harrison of 610 Sports Radio added to the morning's new information with a tweet quoting a source.

“Patrick passed all of his tests last night," Harrison tweeted, quoting the source. "He didn’t actually hit his head, there was a nerve in his neck that got tweaked that made him out of it. He’s getting testing done on his neck/nerve today but did clear all tests last night.”

A source has told me

“Patrick passed all of his tests last night. He didn’t actually hit his head, there was a nerve in his neck that got tweaked that made him out of it. He’s getting testing done on his neck/nerve today but did clear all tests last night.” @610SportsKC

— Carrington Harrison (@cdotharrison) January 18, 2021

Harrison's report lines up with Sunday night's news from Jay Glazer of FOX, who said Mahomes' injury was more consistent with injuries sustained in a chokehold.

"Right now, he's in the concussion protocol," Glazer said on FOX on Sunday night. "You see him having a hard time getting up [and] walking there, that's more so because they're saying it was almost like he got choked out, which I know a thing or two about. Not so much a concussion, but he still has to go through the concussion protocol. He was trying to get himself back in this game though, so there's a lot of confidence that he'll be able to go next week."

Some potentially good news from Jay Glazer on Patrick Mahomes. Indicated Mahomes’ issues were more related to symptoms similar to getting “choked out” than a concussion, but still has to clear the concussion protocol. #Chiefs pic.twitter.com/ZZgoxAkKLW

— Brandon Kiley (@BKSportsTalk) January 18, 2021

Read More: 'There's a Lot of Confidence' Patrick Mahomes Will Be Ready for AFC Championship Game