When Patrick Mahomes went down with an apparent knee injury in the fourth quarter of the Kansas City Chiefs‘ 16-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, spectators could hear a pin drop at Arrowhead Stadium. Fans already knew the Chiefs were on the brink of being eliminated from playoff contention, yet, an injury to the franchise icon was even more concerning.
Unfortunately, Mahomes’ greatest fears came true, with the three-time Super Bowl champion suffering a torn ACL and LCL. The usual timetable for recovery can be anywhere from 8 to 12 months, depending on various factors. Being out for 12 months would essentially knock Mahomes out for the entirety of the 2026 season. Yet, that apparently won’t be the case with Mahomes.
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According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, “it will be a surprise” if Mahomes isn’t back in action in time for the start of the 2026 NFL season.
Patrick Mahomes appears to be hellbent on being back in time for Opening Day 2026.
— Adam Sche fter (@AdamSchefter) December 16, 2025
A look at the chance of that and the NFL’s biggest storylines with @tyschmit:
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That would be great news for the Chiefs, who may not have to embark on a major journey to find a one-year stopgap starter, only to turn to Mahomes as soon as he’s fully cleared for football activity.
It helps that Mahomes didn’t lollygag after getting hurt. Many athletes need to wait days or even weeks for swelling to go down before being able to go under the knife. That wasn’t the case for Mahomes, who was able to have surgery less than 24 hours after the injury occurred.
Plus, with Mahomes’ work ethic, he’ll surely attack his rehab and recovery process just as he’d approach gameplanning for his opponent on a weekly basis. That too could help shorten his injury recovery timeline, helping the Chiefs return as potential contenders in 2026. Yet, they could still bring in another quarterback for insurance purposes this offseason.
