Patrick Mahomes reveals he 'didn't feel good' and 'tweaked' his injured ankle in Bengals win

Patrick Mahomes has admitted he 'didn't feel good' during the Kansas City Chiefs' dramatic 23-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals to claim the AFC title.

Mahomes' health status dominated the headlines in the build-up to the massive championship game after he got hurt in his team's playoff win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

He limped out of the game having fallen awkwardly under a tackle from Arden Key in the first quarter, before he saw the rest of the game out, gingerly navigating his high-ankle sprain.

Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes celebrates AFC title win on Sunday

Mahomes suffered a late hit which put Chiefs in field goal range and they went on to win 23-20

But Mahomes delivered when it mattered with a five-yard scramble on his last snap, which eventually led to Harrison Butker's late game-winning field goal.

The 27-year-old has revealed the game was a struggle and he actually 'tweaked' the problematic right ankle in Sunday's clash.

'I definitely didn't feel good. I think the worst one was when I fumbled. I tried to pick it up, and that was probably the worst I tweaked it during the game,' he said postgame.

Mahomes admitted he 'didn't feel good' during Chiefs' AFC title win over Cincinnati Bengals

'They got me close as they could to 100 percent. Then I just battled through, and I'll have a few more weeks to get it ready.

'But I was able to do enough on that last play to get the first down and get myself out of bounds and try to give Harrison the chance to win. Obviously, we got the flag, and [Ossai] pushed me, pushed me pretty late there.'

Bengals' Joseph Ossai was reduced to tears after his late-hit penalty on Mahomes sets up Chiefs' game-winning field goal.

The 27-year-old fought through pain with GM admitting 'people don't realize how hurt he was' 

'People don't realize how hurt he was,' Kansas City general manager Brett Veach admitted after his franchise reached the Super Bowl. 

'We all saw the injury. High ankles are terrible injuries, and sometimes guys miss two, three weeks, and he was out there and running for a first down and a big play in the game that got us in field goal range.

'But it just adds to an already great legacy.'

The former NFL MVP and two-time All-Pro threw for 326 yards and two touchdowns as he reached his third Super Bowl for the third season out of five as a starter. 

'He gave me no opportunity to think that he wasn't going to play,' head coach Andy Reid said postgame. 'He never missed a snap.'