Under NFL's concussion protocols, decision on Patrick Mahomes' playing status is out of Chiefs' hands Mark Maske, The Washington Post Jan. 19, 2021 FacebookTwitterEmail The deliberations on whether superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes will return to the Kansas City Chiefs' lineup for Sunday's AFC championship game do not involve Coach Andy Reid. Even Mahomes does not have a direct say in the decision. Mahomes's playing status will be determined by the return-to-play guidelines in the NFL's concussion protocols, a set of standards developed by the league to remove competitive considerations from the process and designed to ensure that the decisions are made by independent medical experts.