ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler gives 2 positive updates on Chiefs’ injuries

Though the Kansas City Chiefs came out of Sunday’s AFC Championship with a 23-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, the ticket to Super Bowl LVII was costly.

The Chiefs entered the game with quarterback Patrick Mahomes nursing a high ankle sprain and tight end Travis Kelce dealing with a late-week back injury. The 60 minutes of action only compounded the team’s injury woes — while a championship opportunity against the Philadelphia Eagles was looming.

On defense, cornerback L’Jarius Sneed left the game after the game’s fourth play with a concussion — and linebacker Willie Gay Jr. injured his shoulder in the third quarter. The wide receiver room was decimated. Kadarius Toney, Mecole Hardman and JuJu Smith-Schuster were ruled out during the game.

On Tuesday, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler provided two positive updates for the Chiefs.

The most important involved the soon-to-be league MVP.

Mahomes played the entire game after a week of treatment. During the game, the injury was sometimes noticeable — and after the game, he identified the moment it bothered him most.

But he was also able to maximize his speed on the offense’s final play, in which he rushed for five yards to set up Harrison Butker’s game-winning field goal following an unnecessary roughness penalty.

Fowler also had an update on one of the key defensive injuries.

Gay and edge rusher Frank Clark split a sack of Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow in the first quarter. His absence for the season’s biggest moment would be felt against mobile quarterback Jalen Hurts, tight end Dallas Goedert and the multiple pass-catching running backs on Philadelphia’s roster.

With a bye week between the conference championship and the Super Bowl, the Chiefs will not be required to issue official injury reports until their first practice next week — which will take place on Wednesday.