Cam Newton was a 6-foot-5, 245-pound beast of a quarterback who took on tacklers and often left them with turf in their facemasks and humiliation in their souls. But he never won a Super Bowl, and the physical toll of smacking should pads with defenders wore out the guy who celebrated touchdowns by pretending to rip open his jersey and expose the “S” on his chest.
Turns out the real football Superman lives in Kansas City.
Patrick Mahomes practiced on Wednesday.
That’s right. The spectacular quarterback who seemingly knows no Kryptonite, practiced less than a week after suffering a high right ankle sprain that left him limping like a hip-replacement patient in the Chiefs 27-20 win over the Jaguars.
“I’m doing good,” Mahomes told reporters after a walkthrough and before practice Wednesday. “AFC Championship week, ready to go.
“[The ankle’s] doing good. I’ve had a few days of treatment, few days of rehab. Excited to get out on the practice field and kind of test it out and see where I’m at, but it’s feeling good so far.”
Did you see the pictures of Mahomes getting injured – his right knee, bearing all his weight – planted on top of Corey Peters, his right ankle pinned under Arden Key? His right leg was twisted in such a grotesque angle it looked like Mahomes’s arm does at times when he makes throw that defy the restrictions of the human body.
Of course, there’s always the possibility that Mahomes is not human, rather some alien sent here to redefine the quarterback position. Yes, he stands tall in the pocket and delivers remarkably accurate passes to tight end Travis Kelce or any of his cadre of receivers.
But when the play breaks down and Mahomes leaves the pocket, defensive coordinator’s soil their underwear. Unlike Newton, who took on tacklers, Mahomes waits until the last nanosecond before contorting his arm and flicking a completion. Or he scampers and extends the football past the first-down marker.
If Mahomes can play in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game against the Cincinnati Bengals with no limitations, his Kansas City Chiefs are a steal getting 1.5 points. That’s right, the line moved from Kansas City giving one point to getting 1.5.
So here’s the question: Do you really want to bet against Superman?
Mahomes was named as one of the finalists for regular-season MVP and Offensive Player of the Year, along with Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson and Eagles QB Jalen Hurts, who will face the 49ers in the NFC title game. Mahomes led the NFL with 5,250 passing yards and 41 touchdowns.
He said he’s, “Ready to go.”
“The last few days has been an all-day thing where you’re doing treatment and rehab and watching film,” said Mahomes. “You’re trying to make sure you’re prepared for the Bengals, a great football team, mentally and physically.”
The Bengals will have to be a great football team, mentally and physically to beat the Chiefs led by a quarterback who just might have an “S” on his chest.