Patrick Mahomes Helmet Shatters During Freezing Game Against Dolphins
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes faced an unusual challenge during Saturday night's AFC wild-card playoff game against the Miami Dolphins, according to CBS News.
A hit from Dolphins safety DeShon Elliott shattered Mahomes' helmet, leaving a fist-sized chunk missing from just above his left eye.
Despite this setback and frigid temperatures, the Chiefs emerged victorious with a 26-7 win.
The game in Kansas City witnessed a bone-chilling temperature of minus-4 degrees Fahrenheit, marking it as the fourth-coldest in NFL history.
Patrick Mahomes' helmet malfunction raised questions about whether the extreme cold rendered the helmet more brittle than usual.
The reigning league MVP continued playing, showcasing resilience and determination.
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Helmet Failure in Extreme Cold
Helmets rarely fail in such a manner, but the sub-zero temperatures at kickoff likely contributed to the unusual incident, AP noted
Mahomes, unaware of the helmet damage initially, continued playing for two more snaps before officials instructed him to switch to a backup helmet.
Despite the inconvenience, the Chiefs' quarterback remained determined to stay in the game.
"I'm sure it had to do with it being really cold, but yeah, I didn't know that happened at the moment. I got to the huddle, and everyone was telling me, and I was like, 'I got you all, but I'm not coming out of the game,'" Patrick Mahomes commented.
The backup helmet, stored on the sideline throughout the night, posed a new challenge for Mahomes. Frozen in the harsh weather, the replacement helmet proved difficult to wear.
However, with adjustments on the sideline, Mahomes made it work.
"We have to talk about where we store the backup. It was like frozen," Mahomes explained. "I tried to put it on and couldn't get it on, but we could adjust it on the sideline and get it right."
Patrick Mahomes' Remarkable Performance
Despite the extreme conditions, Mahomes performed remarkably, completing 23 of 41 passes for 262 yards, per The Kansas City Star.
The drops, common throughout the season, intensified in the harsh weather. Coach Andy Reid praised Mahomes for defying expectations and throwing the ball excellently.
"A lot of quarterbacks can't do that - but he did - in that kind of weather," Reid stated.
With the victory, Mahomes enhanced his postseason legacy, boasting the best postseason quarterback rating in NFL history.
At 28, he now holds a 12-3 record in playoff games he has started, ranking among the elite quarterbacks in postseason wins.
He could trail only Tom Brady and Joe Montana in this prestigious list with two additional playoff victories.
Reflecting on the game, Patrick Mahomes humorously acknowledged, "I'm getting old," highlighting his ability to overcome challenges even in extreme weather conditions.
Receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling summed up Mahomes' resilience.
"That's Patrick Mahomes, man. It shows the ultimate competitor that he is. He would go out there and play with no helmet and no facemask if he had to," said Valdes-Scantling.
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Written by: Bert Hoover
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