McConnell was plainly uncomfortable throughout this month’s crescendo of attention to his health, which brought a circus-like atmosphere to the Senate and daily chatter from his colleagues. His only media availability ended with a terse dismissal of questions about his condition and a vow to serve out his term as leader through 2024, as well as his Senate term through 2026.

While his voice is quieter than a few years ago and his appearance more frail, his backers see that as no proof he’s politically wounded. Some GOP senators closest to him see the two freezes as simply potential “after-effects” from the concussion, as Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) put it.

“He’s acknowledged that the concussion had a bigger impact on him,” said Capito, a member of his leadership team who also spoke to McConnell immediately following the August freeze. She recalled McConnell observing that he’s not exactly a “‘25-year-old quarterback.’”

Returning to the Senate last week, McConnell indirectly reminded fellow senators what they would lose without him in charge. At the same Senate GOP lunch where he delivered a five-minute health update, McConnell was accompanied by Steven Law, a former chief of staff who runs two prominent outside Republican groups that had brought in $50 million for the month of August.

Those groups can help determine whether a GOP candidate wins or loses elections.

“In all the lunches and meetings we have, he’s always thinking strategically,” said Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who sought to delay last year’s leadership elections and didn’t say how he voted in McConnell’s leadership contest.

Rubio added a note of praise — one that also nodded to how closely some of McConnell’s own members are watching his recovery.

“There’s never been a time where I’m dealing with him, where I feel like he doesn’t know what he’s doing or doesn’t know where he is,” Rubio said in an interview late last week. “I think he’s probably more energetic this week than before.”

McConnell became the longest serving Senate party leader of all time earlier this year. His subsequent fall and concussion knocked him out of the Senate for a few weeks, contributing to murmurs among a handful of colleagues about his diminishment.

The second freeze didn’t give his doubters in the Senate GOP much room to maneuver, though. There were rumblings of an awkward debate over his future — a handful of GOP senators, and some staff, informally discussed forcing a special conference meeting on the matter.

But when McConnell faced his members to talk about his health last week, no one took the chance to ask for more information. A few Republicans believe that their meeting was structured to minimize any critical commentary, though Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) — often a quotable bellwether for his colleagues — dismissed that as “bullshit.”

“He leads 48 egomaniacs who aren’t sheep,” Cramer said of McConnell.

The reason McConnell’s skeptics held their fire after his second freeze was simpler, according to Cramer: “[W]hether they are skeptics, advocates or sitting on the fence, they were pretty convinced it’s not a fight you can win.”

Indeed, the 10 senators who voted against McConnell last year aren’t telegraphing any revolt.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), a frequent detractor, declined to say much beyond root for his recovery: “I’ve said what I’m going to say on this topic.” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) now says he supports McConnell after voting for Scott last year.

“I’m just not really interested in a lot of the palace intrigue right now. We’ll see how it plays out,” said Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), who opposed McConnell. “I’m glad he’s feeling better. But as far as where this all goes, I have no idea.”