In Saturday’s Week 16 matchup, NFL fans witnessed the first head-to-head battle between star quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and C.J. Stroud. While Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs triumphed 27-19 over Stroud’s Houston Texans, the game’s main storyline was the unfortunate injury to Texans wide receiver Tank Dell.
Dell’s injury occurred early in the third quarter, just after he caught a 30-yard touchdown pass. As he made the reception in the end zone, his teammate, Jared Wayne, dove in the area of the play and accidentally collided with Dell’s leg. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Dell suffered a dislocated kneecap, and further tests would be conducted to assess the severity of the injury.
Mahomes offers support to Stroud and Dell
While the injury left Stroud visibly shaken, a touching moment unfolded after the game when Mahomes offered words of encouragement to the rookie quarterback. During their postgame handshake, Mahomes expressed his support.
“Hope we see y’all in the playoffs. We’re praying for Tank too, man.”
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Stroud, deeply moved, thanked Mahomes
“Appreciate that. God bless you, bro.”
Stroud later reflected on Mahomes’ gesture in his postgame press conference, praising the Chiefs’ quarterback for his kindness.
“That’s amazing. That shows his heart and what kind of man of God he is. I pray for him and his family as well,” Stroud shared.
“That’s very nice of him. That shows what type of heart he has.”
Texans’ hopeful outlook on Dell’s injury
Despite the injury setback, Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans expressed hope for Dell’s recovery. Ryans confirmed that Dell would remain in Kansas City overnight for further evaluation and that a more detailed update on his condition was expected soon.
“Tank had a significant knee injury, and he’ll be staying here in Kansas City overnight for further evaluations, and we’ll get an update tomorrow on him,” Ryans stated.
“Just all our thoughts and prayers are with Tank right now.”
While the Chiefs‘ victory was crucial for their playoff push, the moment between Mahomes and Stroud underscored the mutual respect and sportsmanship shared by the two quarterbacks. As both teams remain playoff contenders, it’s clear that this Week 16 matchup won’t be the last time these two teams meet on the big stage.
