Patrick Mahomes' helmet manufacturer VICIS speak out after bizzare hit on Chiefs QB during playoffs
Patrick Mahomes didn't crack under the freezing temperatures of Arrowhead Stadium during their Wild Card Round match versus the Miami Dolphins. The two-time NFL Most Valuable Player had 23 completions for 262 yards and a touchdown.
While he played well during a high-stakes game, his helmet cracked in the third quarter when he collided with Dolphins safety DeShon Elliott. As Mahomes has complained about the incident, the helmet's manufacturer released a statement.
VICIS claims Patrick Mahomes' helmet did its job
With under eight minutes left to play in the third quarter, Mahomes dashed toward the Miami Dolphins end zone with the ball on second down. However, Elliott met him for a tackle at the two-yard line. As they collided, a part of the quarterback's helmet flew off, forcing it to crack.
VICIS, the manufacturer of the helmet worn by the two-time Super Bowl champion, released an official statement regarding the incident. A portion of the text reads:
“Extreme conditions like those experienced in Saturday evening’s NFL playoff game are bound to test the limits of even the highest-performing products. While outer damage is not ideal, the ZERO 2 helmet did its job of protecting Patrick Mahomes during a head-to-head impact in unprecedented cold temperatures.”
VICIS reminded the public about their high NFL Performance Testing rankings and commitment to developing the safest football helmets.
In a post-game interview, Mahomes described the helmet as "warm and cracked." He tried switching helmets in-game, but the replacement didn't fit because it felt cold. Once that issue was settled, Mahomes led the Chiefs to a Divisional Round showdown with the Buffalo Bills.
The Chiefs won under extreme conditions, with the kickoff temperature at negative 4 degrees and a wind chill minus-27, the third-coldest kickoff wind chill in league history.
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs should have been charged a timeout
While the Chiefs quickly found a replacement for Mahomes' cracked helmet, Sunday Night Football rules analyst and former NFL game official Terry McAulay said one timeout should be charged for Kansas City.
McAulay stated:
"Equipment change, they stopped the clock. He really should have to go out, or they take a time-out."
Play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico also found it odd that the officials did not take a timeout away from the Chiefs. Instead, they stopped the clock, allowing Patrick Mahomes to change quickly.
It's still unknown if the NFL will investigate the cracked helmet or if Patrick Mahomes will change helmet provider from VICIS to other popular brands like Schutt or Riddell.