Patrick Mahomes' path back to the field for the AFC Championship Game included a stop at a mid-week practice.
The Chiefs quarterback remains in concussion protocol but participated in what was a light practice for the Chiefs on Wednesday. Mahomes (toe/concussion) was listed as a limited participant on the team's official injury report.
Upon the first release of their injury report, the Chiefs listed Mahomes as a full participant, but later change it to limited. Wednesday's practice was essentially a "glorified walkthrough. So if it were a full practice, he'd have been limited," NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported.
"He looked good on a limited basis," coach Andy Reid told reporters. "He took all the snaps and he feels good. We're going to follow this protocol."
Kansas City moved its practice indoors on Wednesday, so Mahomes' work and/or progress was behind closed doors, but the team did release a brief clip of him running a play in practice.
Mahomes, who is symptom-free and will undergo tolerance tests, is expected to increase his workload as the week carries on, per NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport.
He exited Kansas City's 22-17 win over Cleveland on Sunday after he was tackled awkwardly by Browns linebacker Mack Wilson. Mahomes appeared momentarily unable to stand without assistance before heading to the locker room for further evaluation. His placement in the protocol ended his participation in the Divisional Round meeting with Cleveland and called into question his availability for Sunday's conference title game against the Buffalo Bills.
Mahomes' participation in Wednesday's practice is an encouraging sign for his chances of playing Sunday. And, as Rapoport later tweeted, serving as a limited participant doesn't mean much of a difference at this stage of the season, when most practice work is mental and walkthrough.
The Super Bowl LIV MVP is one win away from returning to the sport's biggest game. If he can play Sunday, we're in for an exciting one between the defending champions and the red-hot Bills.
