Mahomes ‘close to 100 percent’ for Super Bowl LV

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes played pretty well in the AFC championship Jan. 23 despite the effects of a turf toe injury on his left foot that was black and blue after he hurt it the previous week.

Tuesday, Mahomes said the injury should be of little concern for Sunday’s Super Bowl.

“It’s pretty close to 100 percent,” he said, “and I’m sure, by game day, it will be.”

Mahomes hurt the toe in the divisional playoff game Jan. 17 against Cleveland. Later in the same game, he took a big hit that sent him to the sidelines and landed him in concussion protocol. While playing with some sort of protective device in his left shoe against the Bills in the AFC title game, he completed 29 of 38 passes for 325 yards and three touchdowns, though he only ran the ball five times for 5 yards.

“It feels a lot better,” Mahomes said. “Having these two weeks to let it rest and heal up, especially being almost three weeks away from the injury itself — if you look at those kind of injuries, that kind of gives you the normal timeline. Definitely, every single day that I get to rest it, it makes it even better.”

Front-row QB view

LeSean McCoy has watched Mahomes and Tom Brady up close the past two seasons, and he has a slam-dunk comparison for the star quarterbacks.

“I’m a huge Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan fan, and that’s the best way I can look at it,” the Buccaneers running back said. “You look at a guy like Brady, and he’s like Jordan — established, older. He don’t Air Jordan dunk anymore, but he’s beating you with the fadeaway. I think of Pat as the young Kobe. Like, he’s coming. The league’s aware of him, and he’s making plays.”

McCoy spent last season with the Chiefs and Mahomes, helping them win the Super Bowl. He signed with Tampa Bay in the offseason.

Mom’s trip

Tampa Bay coach Bruce Arians will have a special cheerleader for his Super Bowl debut as a head coach. His 95-year-old mother, Kay, is making the trip down from Hanover, Pa., where she lives with her best friend and caretaker.

“We’re flying her down with my brother and sisters that are coming and doing everything we can to make sure she is safe from COVID and has a great, great time at the Super Bowl,” Arians said.