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A16 SPORTS
Friday 27 January 2023

NFL playoffs: Mahomes shrugs off pain, plans to play

By DAVID BRANDT season:
AP Sports Writer WHAT’S THE UPCOMING
Patrick Mahomes has a SCHEDULE?
very sore right ankle. Jalen SUNDAY
Hurts has a bum right shoul- San Francisco 49ers at Phil-
der. adelphia Eagles, 3 p.m. EST,
Even so, neither quarter- Fox
back is complaining in the Cincinnati Bengals at Kan-
lead up to Sunday’s NFL sas City Chiefs, 6:30 p.m.
conference championship EST, CBS
games. NO NEED FOR NEUTRAL
Mahomes went through The AFC title game would
a normal morning walk- have been played in At-
through Wednesday and lanta next weekend if the
then headed out for an Buffalo Bills had beaten the
afternoon practice with Bengals, under a rule ad-
the rest of the Kansas City justment approved by NFL
Chiefs, four days after a owners.
Jacksonville pass rusher The league decided on
landed on his ankle and the first of its kind confer-
forced him to hobble off ence championship neu-
the field in pain. tral site setting because the
The Chiefs host the Cincin- Bills (13-3) finished the sea-
nati Bengals in the AFC title Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) passes against the Jacksonville Jaguars son a half-game behind
game Sunday. during the first half of an NFL divisional round playoff football game, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023, in the Chiefs (14-3) after their
“The last few days has Kansas City, Mo. game at Cincinnati was
been an all-day thing,” Ma- Associated Press canceled on Jan. 2 when
homes said, “where you’re secutive conference title in Philadelphia’s lopsided on Feb. 12 in Glendale, Ari- Bills safety Damar Hamlin
doing treatment and rehab game. win. zona. went into cardiac arrest
and watching film. You’re Philadelphia’s Hurts who is Hurts said Wednesday his Purdy is set for perhaps his and had to be resuscitated
trying to make sure you’re a finalist for MVP along with shoulder is still sore, though toughest test yet Sunday, on the field.
prepared for the Bengals, a Mahomes, Josh Allen, Justin he didn’t seem concerned. when he faces an Eagles Hamlin has since been mak-
great football team, men- Jefferson and Joe Burrow “I’ve felt better, but it defense that led the NFL ing a remarkable recovery

tally and physically.” has a sore right shoulder doesn’t really matter,” with 70 sacks and must and attended Sunday’s
Mahomes, a two-time All- and told Fox Sports before Hurts said. “I’ve got to get deal with an imposing road game in Buffalo, waving to
Pro, was still pretty good the team’s 38-7 win over it done.” environment. fans from a stadium suite.
on one ankle against the the Giants that he was “no- The Eagles will host the San Two of the four remaining In the end, all the Atlan-
Jaguars. He left in the sec- where near 100%.” Francisco 49ers and rookie teams are in the midst of ta hypotheticals weren’t
ond quarter after the injury He looked fine against the quarterback Brock Purdy long winning streaks. The needed. That’s because
but returned for the second Giants, completing 7 of 7 in the NFC Championship 49ers have won 12 straight the Bengals and Burrow are
half and performed well passes for 89 yards in the on Sunday. The two win- games while the Bengals rolling. Cincinnati beat Buf-
enough to push the Chiefs first quarter and eventually ners from the conference have won 10 straight. falo 27-10 and is one win
to a 27-20 victory. They ad- threw for two touchdowns championship games will Here are some other things away from playing in a sec-
vanced to their fifth con- and ran for another score advance to the Super Bowl to know during the post- ond straight Super Bowl.q

Helio Castroneves rules out Daytona 500

ride next month

By JENNA FRYER which said last week that ing myself in on such short
AP Auto Racing Writer it ultimately decided it did notice,” Castroneves said.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) not want to run three cars. “To go to a place where
— Four-time Indianapolis Castroneves then tried to you’ve got to race yourself
500 winner Helio Castro- talk to Floyd Mayweather’s into (the race), as of right
neves has ruled out running team, but said Thursday he now, it’s not going to hap-
next month’s NASCAR sea- couldn’t get a deal done pen.
son-opening Daytona 500. with The Money Team Rac- We need to have an op-
Castroneves has been ing in time for next month’s portunity, and we’ve just
chasing a seat since win- Daytona 500. TMT last year got to ... give me a little
ning one of Tony Stewart’s raced itself into the Dayto- more experience.”
summer all-star races last na 500 with driver Kaz Grala Castroneves, who on Satur-
season to win a bet with in the first NASCAR race for day will attempt to win the
the SRX head that prom- Mayweather’s team. Rolex 24 at Daytona for a
Helio Castroneves waits in his pit stall during a practice session ised Castroneves help find- “Unfortunately, for me, lack third consecutive year, said
for the Rolex 24 hour auto race at Daytona International ing a NASCAR ride. He’d of experience, no testing, a he’s considering attend-
Speedway, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023, in Daytona Beach, Fla. tried to put a deal together lot of things. I believe it will ing the Daytona 500 as a
Associated Press with Trackhouse Racing, be a little bit tough throw- spectator.q