Patrick Mahomes, the Kansas City Chiefs' great quarterback, provided the ideal indication of how cold the team's Wild Card game against the Miami Dolphins was on Saturday.
Midway through the third quarter, the Chiefs were in the red zone, attempting to extend their 16-7 lead, when the game was halted because Mahomes' helmet was cracked, leaving a gaping hole.
The temperature at kickoff was minus-4 degrees Fahrenheit, with a wind chill of minus-27, making it the fourth coldest in NFL history. As a result, Mahomes' helmet shell may have become more fragile than normal. So, when it collided with Dolphins safety Deshon Elliot's helmet, Mahomes lost a fist-sized part of the outer layer immediately above his left eye.
The photo below shows the chunk flying off Mahomes' helmet.
"I tried to get in there. I was hoping to go into the end zone. Young Pat would have gotten in. "I'm getting a little old," Mahomes joked, referring to his legendary scrambling score against the Tennessee Titans in the 2020 AFC Championship.
"I was going to spin and get up in there, but I got squared up and my helmet snapped. I try not to do it too much, but it is playoff time. To win football games, you sometimes have to lay it all on the line and try to get into the end zone."
"He knew his helmet was cracked, and he just tried to go on to the next play," Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice said. "He was saying, 'Come on. Get the play. Get the play. But he replaced the helmet, and he didn't like it."
"I'm sure it had to do with it being really cold," Mahomes continued, "but yeah, I didn't realise that happened in the moment." I got to the huddle and everyone was telling me, and I was like, 'I got you all, but I'm not leaving the game.'"
Mahomes played two more plays with a hole in his helmet before the game was delayed, then exchanged helmets before third-and-goal.
The drive concluded with a field goal.
On the broadcast, NBC rules commentator and former NFL referee Terry McAulay stated that the Chiefs should have been compelled to take a timeout since the clock had stopped, and Mahomes should have had to come out for a play because he needed to change his equipment.
Because a helmet was destroyed, several supporters believe Mahomes should have been tested for a concussion.
According to the NFL Head, Neck and Spine Committee, a player enters concussion protocol if:
If a player displays or reports symptoms of a concussion or nerve pinch injury, the team Athletic Trainer, booth ATC spotter, team Physician, NFL game official, coach, teammate, sideline Unaffiliated Neurotrauma Consultant (UNC), or booth UNC may commence the protocol.
Since Mahomes finished the game, these requirements must not have been a consideration.
Mahomes stated in the moment that he hoped to score and figure it out on the sidelines.
The backup helmet had been sitting on the sideline all game, so it was "completely frozen" and Mahomes struggled to put it on.
"We were able to adjust it on the sideline, get it kind of warmed up a little bit and get rolling from there."
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and other players witnessed a helmet shattering during the coldest game in Chiefs history.
"Once you go, it's just survival," Reid explained. He admitted that he enjoys seeing Mahomes scramble because he tends to slump throughout the regular season.
Playoff times vary.
"His desire to win is ridiculous," he stated. "He's a great competitor."
Mahomes threw for 262 yards and a score as the Chiefs defeated the Dolphins 26-7, sending home a jubilant crowd of Chiefs fans who braved the cold to watch their 15th consecutive home playoff game.
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