Patrick Mahomes’s ACL rehab (Getty Images)
The biggest question around the Kansas City Chiefs this offseason hasn’t changed: when will Patrick Mahomes be ready to play again? The franchise quarterback is working his way back from a torn ACL and LCL suffered in December, an injury that cut short his 2025 season.
With surgery behind him and rehab underway, the early signs are steady, not rushed.
There is no firm return date yet, but the team finally offered a clearer sense of where things stand as the new season edges closer.
When will Patrick Mahomes return from injury for the Chiefs
Coach Andy Reid struck a careful tone this week, offering optimism without committing to a timeline. “He goes to meetings, he can lift, do all of that, rehab,” Reid said. “That’s the phase he is in right now, so we’ll just see, kind of play it by ear and see where he is at.
He’s doing great, but we just have to be smart with this thing.”
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Chiefs HC Andy Reid talks about the offseason program, and the upcoming draft
That last line matters. The Chiefs are balancing urgency with caution. A typical ACL recovery for an NFL player runs close to nine months, which would place Mahomes somewhere around the early weeks of the 2026 season. Week 1 remains possible, but it is not the expectation inside the building. A return in Week 2 or 3 feels more realistic if the current pace holds.
Mahomes, though, has made his own target clear. “I think, the long-term … I want to be ready for Week 1. The doctor said that I could be, but I can’t predict what’s going to happen throughout the process. That’s my goal. I’ll try to prepare myself to be ready to play in Week 1, and have no restrictions,” he said back on Jan. 15.There are small but meaningful signs of progress. In late March, just three months after surgery, Patrick Mahomes was already throwing at an indoor facility.
“Day by Day!” he wrote. “Great being able to throw the ball around today.” It was not a full return, but it showed confidence in his knee and in the rehab plan.He has also been present for offseason meetings, staying connected as the team prepares for the draft and beyond. That continuity matters for a quarterback who shapes the system as much as he runs it.Still, the Chiefs have prepared for a slower ramp-up. Justin Fields is in place as the likely starter if Patrick Mahomes needs more time. It is a practical move, not a signal of concern.For now, the picture is steady. No setbacks, no shortcuts. Just a star quarterback working through the long middle stretch of recovery, with the season still months away.
