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Patrick Mahomes had his ankle tackled on by a lineman last week, but he re-entered the game and is a full go for the AFC Championship on Sunday.
Mahomes suffered a high ankle sprain, an injury that could leave players out several weeks, yet he managed to practice fully all week.
The Chiefs quarterback was clearly feeling the after-effects last week, and that may still be the case on Sunday, but one former Pro Bowler thinks the injury actually may be beneficial to Mahomes himself and his team.
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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) holds his ankle in pain in the first quarter of an AFC divisional playoff game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Kansas City Chiefs on January 21, 2023, at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Michael Vick said that Mahomes may be a bit more checked in against the Cincinnati Bengals.
"Sometimes when you play hurt, you’ll be a little bit more focused. A little bit more dialed in. Because you know you can’t really get off script," he told TMZ Sports.
"Playing hurt is not a bad thing if you know how to do it," Vick said. "Only certain people can do it -- and the ones that are listening right now, they know what I'm saying. They can relate."
Michael Vick looks on from the sidelines before an NFL football game between the Houston Texans and New England Patriots, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2019. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
Mahomes told reporters on Thursday that his ankle is "better than [he] expected."
"I feel like I can still do a lot of things. But we’ll see as we get closer and closer. And we’ll see during the game," Mahomes said when asked how he feels about making throws outside the pocket on Sunday.
"You can’t fully do exactly what you’re going to be in those moments in the game. But all I can do is prepare myself the best way possible. And when we get in the game, you hope adrenaline takes over, and you can make those throws when we need to."
The Chiefs are in their fifth consecutive AFC Championship, all of which they have hosted. They are 2-2 in their previous four, including losing to Cincinnati last year, 27-24, in an overtime classic.
Joe Burrow, #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals, hugs Patrick Mahomes, #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs, after the AFC Championship Game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on January 30, 2022, in Kansas City, Missouri. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
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The AFC title game kicks off at 6:30 p.m., while Vick's former Philadelphia Eagles will look to take down the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship at 3 p.m. ET.
Fox News' Joe Morgan contributed to this report.