Look: Patrick Mahomes’ helmet cracks after hard hit from Dolphins defender

The damage to Mahomes’ helmet was very obvious, and he eventually had to get a replacement from the sideline (though Mahomes did manage to finish out the drive with the totaled piece of headgear).

With the temperature dipping below zero at GEHA Field for the game, it is very possible that the extreme cold conditions compromised the integrity of Mahomes’ helmet and left it more susceptible to getting cracked. 

Mahomes then proceeded to throw a pair of incompletions on the ensuing set of downs (forcing Kansas City to settle for a field goal), so maybe his ears were ringing a bit too.

For as many hits there are in the NFL, cracked helmets are a pretty rare occurrence. It has happened in the postseason before though as there is definitely a different intensity when it comes to playoff football.