Patrick Mahomes Breaks Silence On Elbow Injury As Kansas City Chiefs Await Crucial Test Results

Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs waits on elbow test results after a scary hit© Image via: X/@NFL_DovKleiman

Patrick Mahomes hit the turf in Kansas City's 35-12 win over the New York Jets, and Chiefs Kingdom held its breath. His throwing arm stopped mid-motion, and the quarterback stayed down for a few tense seconds. Then he stood up, got treatment, and kept playing. Now the Kansas City Chiefs wait on test results that could shape their push for the AFC West lead. Mahomes sounds calm, but he admits elbow pain always rattles him. Here is what we know about the scare, what he said afterward, and what Chiefs fans should watch this week.

Patrick Mahomes Injury Update: How The Elbow Scare Unfolded

The play came late in the second quarter. On second-and-10 from the Chiefs' 37-yard line, Mahomes cocked his arm to throw. Jets rookie David Bailey's arm slammed into his, and Will McDonald hit him from behind. For a moment, it looked like backup Justin Fields might take over.

He did not. Mahomes left briefly, then returned for the last drive of the half. Head coach Andy Reid gave CBS a quick read. “He hurt his elbow a little bit. It's sore, but he came back,” Reid said of Mahomes' arm. “He's a tough kid.”

The quarterback shared his own take after the game. “From the stories you hear, whenever you can grab the ball and try to throw it, you can't throw,” Mahomes explained. “Once I threw the football, I knew it wasn't, hopefully, I haven't done the test yet, it wasn't ligament-type stuff, it was more muscle-type stuff. That'll be important to kinda get worked out this week.”

Patrick Mahomes comes off the field in pain with an apparent injury to his throwing arm following a turnover https://t.co/5fsqKGPaFz

— NFL on CBS  (@NFLonCBS) November 8, 2026

The muscle versus ligament split matters. Muscle issues often heal faster, so keep your hope measured until the tests confirm it.

Kansas City Chiefs Outlook: What Comes Next After The New York Jets Win

Mahomes admitted the moment shook him. “You know, it scares you in moments when you get some pain in certain areas of your body. And so, obviously, didn't feel great, but I was able to kind of get it worked on a little bit, especially at halftime, and then I was able to go out there and play the rest of the game.”

He was already talking treatment for next week. The numbers back up his toughness: 23-of-31 for 242 yards and two touchdowns. The Chiefs now sit at 6-2, and a win over the Atlanta Falcons would put them level with the first-place Denver Broncos.

Kicker Harrison Butker missed another field goal and heard boos at halftime, so Reid faces more than one question on Monday.