Patrick Mahomes returns to Super Bowl after hurting ankle in first half

Updated Feb 12, 2023 8:55 pm EST

Patrick Mahomes might have re-aggravated his right ankle sprain late in the first half of Super Bowl LVII. He returned to the field to begin the second half.

The Chiefs quarterback came up limping after a third-down scramble late in the first half. Mahomes stayed down for longer than usual before getting up and clearly favoring his right ankle. 

Mahomes limped to the Chiefs' sideline and sat on the bench, grimacing at first. He spoke with coach Andy Reid and tried to walk off the injury on the sideline. He was able to jog to the locker room at halftime, but did not appear to run with his usual gait.

The Eagles led 24-14 at the break.

Mahomes originally suffered the injury during the Chiefs' AFC divisional round victory over Jacksonville, and the injury clearly bothered him in the AFC Championship Game.

Mahomes had a solid first half, completing 8 of 13 passes for 89 yards with a touchdown and adding 11 yards on the ground. However, the Eagles have kept the MVP off the field for the most part, holding the ball for more than 21 of the first 30 minutes.

FOX Sports NFL reporter Erin Andrews reported during the broadcast that Mahomes told teammates he was fine.

FOX Sports injury expert Dr. Matt Provencher had this to say about Mahomes' ankle:

"The injury appeared to be similar to the original high-ankle sprain he sustained in the divisional playoffs.  He was certainly in pain, and visibly limping off the field. I expect to see Mahomes come back for the second half after taping and treatment in the locker room.

"Keep in mind that the Super Bowl halftime is 29 minutes long and Mahomes will need to keep the ankle limber and minimize swelling. His mobility will be affected to some extent, as well as his ability to throw deep, given that it is his back leg."

You can watch the remainder of the game on FOX and the FOX Sports App.

Read more:

Top stories from FOX Sports: