Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes pulled off an epic performance during the AFC Championship game against the Cincinnati Bengals last Sunday. Mahomes was dealing with a high ankle sprain he suffered in the AFC Divisional Round against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Mahomes said the performance wouldn’t have happened without the team’s athletic trainer, Julie Frymyer.
Patrick Mahomes Won AFC Championship On Injured Ankle
Mahomes was 29-43 for 326 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions. His mobility was impacted due to the high ankle sprain.
What differentiates a high ankle sprain from a traditional sprain is the location. A high ankle sprain is when you tear or damage the high ankle ligaments that connect the tibia to the fibula. The high ankle sprain is tricky and can often take a long time to heal.
That Mahomes was able to throw the ball so well on essentially one leg is incredible. He was able to scramble with enough speed to gain five yards on the game winning field goal drive.
“I didn’t expect to be able to run very much, just from the way it felt,” Mahomes said. “But the training staff and Julie (Frymyer) did a great job of giving me enough mobility that I was able to protect myself. At the end of the game there, I had to run to get the first down and it got us into field goal range. Credit to them and just trying to stay on it. Now, we’ve got two more weeks, so we’ve got to keep doing it.”
Julie WAS the reason i was the guy i was on the field today! It takes everyone but she lead the charge all week!!! Now let’s get Super Bowl ready!! https://t.co/glPKlL9Qz3
— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) January 30, 2023
Mahomes is the key to the Chiefs Super Bowl hopes. He is the best QB in the league and it is not close. The level of confidence he infuses the team with is immeasurable. With #15 there is always a chance.
Who Is KC Trainer Julie Frymyer?
Frymyer received her undergraduate degree at Westchester University, her masters at Florida International, and her Doctor of Physical Therapy at the University of St. Augustine. Before working for the Chiefs, she was an assistant athletic trainer at Princeton University.
Football is a high-risk sport and injuries occur every game. Having players prepared week to week takes a lot of work on behalf of the training and performance teams as well as the players.
Now the challenge ahead of Frymyer and the staff is how to ensure Mahomes is ready for the Super Bowl in two weeks. The additional week will help. But after the wear and tear of the AFC title game, Mahomes’ ankle didn’t get better.
The normal recovery time for this injury is four to six weeks, and during that recovery time the motion of the ankle is to be limited, and once the acute inflammatory period ends you can begin physical therapy to strengthen the muscles in the lower leg.
Playing in the AFC title game does not allow for that kind of recovery to take place.
Frymyer and the staff will work from a new baseline as it relates to Mahomes’ injury. Once whatever re-swelling that occurred as a result of the game has subsided, they can begin their new rehab plan.
