Reid says Mahomes is ready to play
Patrick Mahomes finished a full week of practice on his ailing right ankle on Friday, and Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid pronounced his All-Pro quarterback ready to go for the AFC championship game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Mahomes sustained a high ankle sprain in the first quarter of last week's divisionalround win over Jacksonville, returning after halftime to polish off the victory. That sent the Chiefs to their fifth consecutive AFC championship game, where they will face the AFC North champions on Sunday night in a rematch of last year's overtime loss to the Bengals.
“He looks good,” Reid said. “I mean, he's moving around good. He's going to go out and play.”
Mahomes has had perhaps his best season, throwing for a career-high 5,250 yards with a league-leading 41 touchdown passes, and garnered 49 of 50 first-place votes in All-Pro voting. He is also among five finalists for league MVP.
“I feel like I can still do a lot of things,” Mahomes said this week. “We'll see as we get closer and closer, and we'll see during the game. You can't fully do exactly what you're going to be doing in those moments in the game (in practice), but all I can do is prepare myself the best way possible and then when we get in the game, you hope adrenaline kind of takes over.”
WILKS `DISAPPOINTED, NOT
DEFEATED' AFTER BEING
SNUBBED BY PANTHERS Former Carolina Panthers interim coach Steve Wilks is “disappointed, but not defeated” that he didn't land the team's full-time head coaching position. The Panthers announced on Thursday they've agreed to hire Frank Reich as their coach.
“The sun rose this morning and by the grace of God so did I,” Wilks tweeted Friday. “Many people aren't built for this but I know what it means to persevere and see it through.”
Wilks thanked players, coaches and staff for their dedication, saying he took pride in representing his hometown of Charlotte. Wilks added, “I do wish Frank Reich the best.”
Wilks' tweet came less than 24 hours after his attorney blasted the Panthers for their decision not to hire Wilks, who went 6-6 as Carolina's interim coach in 2022 after replacing the fired Matt Rhule in Week 6. The Panthers interviewed Wilks, who is Black, twice for the position before settling on Reich, who is white.
SOURCE: TUA REMAINS IN
CONCUSSION PROTOCOL,
WON'T PLAY IN PRO BOWL >> Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa remains in the NFL's concussion protocol and will not participate in the 2023 Pro Bowl, a person with knowledge of the matter told The Associated Press. Tagovailoa was diagnosed with his second concussion of the 2022 season more than a month ago, after a Dec. 25 loss to Green Bay. He missed Miami's final three games, including a playoff loss to Buffalo.
Tagovailoa had been selected as a Pro Bowl first alternate and would have replaced either Joe Burrow or Patrick Mahomes, one of whom will play in Super Bowl LVII after Sunday's AFC Championship game. The Pro Bowl will be held on Feb. 5.
ALSO >> The Los Angeles Rams are hiring former New York Jets offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press . ... The Atlanta Falcons hired former New Orleans Saints co-defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen to be their new defensive coordinator.