Patrick Mahomes' Head Injury Was a Reminder That Life and Quarterbacks Are Precious

The Kansas City Chiefs advanced to their third consecutive AFC Championship Game yesterday. This is precisely what everyone expected following the ascent to superstardom by Patrick Mahomes a few short seasons ago. It seems like this will be what football looks like for the foreseeable future, but yesterday's game was actually a reminder of just how unlikely that is.

Mahomes, already banged up, suffered a concussion on Saturday. The image of Mahomes wobbling like a deer on a frozen pond was hard to watch. The face of the league was completely out of it. He was then helped off the field to enter the NFL's concussion protocol. He will probably be back on Sunday, but just look at how close we are to LinkedIn user Chad Henne starting an AFC Championship Game.

If this doesn't make you sit back and appreciate Mahomes, what will? Hennething is possible, but nothing is guaranteed. Mahomes, like every player, is always one play away from disaster. It's a sobering thought that Mahomes might not be in our football lives for the next decade, but we just don't know. For now, though, let's just focus on finishing this season. Jay Glazer gave an update on Mahomes' condition last night that really downplays the whole concussion thing. Via Arrowhead Addict:

"“The thought is that he will be okay. Right now, he’s in the concussion protocol. You see him having a hard time getting up and walking there. That’s more so because they are saying it was almost like he was 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.”"

I'm sorry, but I'm going to need a real doctor to explain that one to me. Unless this was just Glazer looking for an excuse to remind America he does UFC, it makes no sense.

Whatever happened to Mahomes physically, if he stumbled around the octagon like that he'd be looking at a medical suspension from the local athletic commission. Mahomes, meanwhile, will be out there on Sunday afternoon. That's good for now, but who knows what that means for the decade of dominance we are supposed to get.