KC’s Mahomes cleared to start
Bucs activate key run-stopping NT
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was cleared Friday from the league’s concussion protocol after his third consecutive day of practice and will play Sunday when Kansas City meets Buffalo in the AFC championship game.
Mahomes was hurt in the third quarter of the Chiefs’ divisional-round win over Cleveland. He returned to take the majority of snaps in a light workout Wednesday, then did the same during the longest practice of the week Thursday, before team doctors and an independent neurologist gave him the green light following Friday’s workout.
“The week has been a bunch of testing, a bunch of different things, to make sure I’m good to go and there’s no lingering effects and things like that,” Mahomes said. “Everything has been good.”
The reigning Super Bowl
MVP was hurt when he was tackled around the head by linebacker Mack Wilson while running a quarterback option.
BUCS: Tampa Bay bolstered its defense for Sunday’s NFC title game at Green Bay, activating nose tackle Vita Vea from the reserve/injured list.
The third-year pro, one of the top run-stoppers in the NFL, has been sidelined since early October with a broken ankle. He resumed practicing with the team this week and will be available this weekend against the Green Bay Packers.
The 6-foot-4, 347-pound tackle appeared in five games during the regular season. He was 12th overall pick in the 2018 draft.
Coach Bruce Arians also said Friday that receiver Antonio Brown, who had been day-today with a knee injury, will not play in the NFC title game.
BILLS: Buffalo is uncertain whether wide receiver Gabriel Davis will be available to play in the AFC championship game at Kansas City.
Davis and defensive tackle Vernon Butler were listed as questionable Friday after returning to practice on a limited basis.
Davis sat out two midweek practices due to an ankle injury. He finished third on the team with 599 yards receiving and second with seven TDs receiving in his rookie season. In two playoff wins, Davis had four receptions for 85 yards.
Buffalo’s two top receivers Stephon Diggs and Cole Beasley “are in a pretty good spot,” coach Sean McDermott said. Diggs (oblique muscle) and Beasley (knee) were full participants in Friday’s practice.
WASHINGTON: Ron Rivera bulked up his front office Friday, hiring Martin Mayhew to be Washington’s general manager and Marty Hurney to serve as executive VP of football and player personnel. The moves give Rivera two seasoned NFL executives to work with going into his second season coaching and running football operations.
SUPER BOWL: Commissioner Roger Goodell announced that Super Bowl 55 will be played in front of 22,000 fans in Tampa, Fla., including 7,500 vaccinated health care workers.