Former Colts HC offers strong thoughts on prospect of resting Patrick Mahomes

Another December, another banged-up Patrick Mahomes. Over the last several years, Mahomes has worked his way through injuries multiple times in the final stretch of the NFL calendar. However, his latest injury and the Chiefs (13-1) standing atop the AFC have led analysts to ask whether it would be smart to rest him.

Speaking on Tuesday's edition of "Get Up," current NFL analyst and former Indianapolis Colts coach Jeff Saturday vehemently opposed the proposition (3:41):

"Lost your mind. ... What sport are we playing right now? If Patrick Mahomes says 'I am good to go, I can go play.' You are going to start the best quarterback in NFL history. You're not going to let Carson Wentz [play].

"You don't bench him for precaution. ... It would be a ridiculous concept to believe a man will take a month off for professional football, then hit the playoffs and go on the road and play to the level [he needs to]."

Some analysts have pressed the Chiefs to rest Mahomes until Week 18, allowing him one game to warm up before single elimination. If the Chiefs were to take that route and lose in their first playoff game, Mahomes will essentially be down to just two games left in the 2024 season.

Patrick Mahomes' Chiefs wade into playoff-caliber gauntlet to wrap 2024 regular season

Patrick Mahomes at Kansas City Chiefs at Cleveland Browns - Source: Imagn

The Chiefs might have another month before their next playoff game, but they are essentially done playing teams under .500 this year. Unless the Los Angeles Chargers lose out and the Chiefs face them or another losing team in January, every remaining team they play is over .500.

To cap the regular season, Patrick Mahomes' team will face the Houston Texans and Russell Wilson's Steelers (Wilson beat Mahomes 24-9 in 2023) in Week 16 and 17, respectovely. In Week 18, they will face the Denver Broncos, who were a blocked field goal away from winning in Arrowhead earlier this season.

After that, Mahomes will face any mix of the six other teams that will end up in the playoffs.

The Denver Broncos, Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans all have a chance to face Mahomes' team twice before all is said in done as well. Put simply, the difficulty is expected to ratchet up for Andy Reid considerably from here on out.

If any of the above quotes are used, credit "Get Up," and H/T Sportskeeda.