Patrick Mahomes dealing with flu; added to injury report

DENVER — Patrick Mahomes may not be quite himself on Sunday.

For one thing, the Chiefs’ two-time MVP quarterback has been dealing with the flu. Kansas City added him to its injury report on Sunday morning,

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Mahomes is “better today than yesterday” and will play against the Broncos.

Patrick Mahomes has been battling the flu, source said. Better today than yesterday. He'll play. https://t.co/A8wGN0ZStC

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 29, 2023

Still, one can’t imagine that the conditions that greet Mahomes are particularly conducive to playing well while battling the flu. Snow covered Empower Field at Mile High at dawn Sunday, and while the snowfall itself should have stopped by the time the 2:25 p.m. MDT kickoff arrives, temperatures are expected to remain just below freezing throughout the game.

Mahomes hasn’t missed a game against the Broncos since making his first career start in Denver on Dec. 31, 2017. With their playoff seeding locked in, Kansas City gave Mahomes the assignment that day, and he guided the Chiefs to a last-second field goal to win, 27-24.

Of course, when Mahomes left a Broncos-Chiefs game in 2019 due to an injury, it didn’t derail the Kansas City express. He suffered a knee injury on a 2-yard QB sneak in the second quarter with Kansas City leading, 10-6. The Chiefs went on to throttle the Broncos, 30-6.

Mahomes’ illness comes days after Kansas City linebacker Nick Bolton underwent surgery for a fractured wrist. Bolton had four tackles and an interception in the Chiefs’ 19-8 win over Denver on Oct. 12.

Of course, sports is rife with tales of athletes playing well despite illness or infirmity. Mahomes may well be the NFL’s Michael Jordan, and the basketball superstar’s “flu game” during the 1997 NBA Finals remains legendary.

But Jordan got to play that night in climate-controlled conditions. Mahomes won’t have that luxury on a frigid day in Denver.

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