The Kansas City Chiefs are being called out on social media for their latest injury update on Patrick Mahomes.
On Monday night, the Chiefs announced that Mahomes had successful surgery on his ACL and LCL. This was a little over 24 hours after he suffered this devastating injury against the Los Angeles Chargers.
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“Patrick Mahomes successfully underwent surgery in Dallas this evening with Dr. Dan Cooper to repair the tear in his left ACL,” the Chiefs said. “Mahomes will begin his rehab process immediately.”
Mahomes getting an immediate start on his rehab should be considered a good thing for Kansas City. However, the franchise is facing backlash for not providing clarity as to what kind of procedure Mahomes had on his left knee.
“Really need the team to confirm/deny something in here. It’s sloppy communication when the public understands the point. Repair or reconstruct? Reconstruction (use a graft to make a completely new ligament) is the gold standard and what I expect was done. Repair (ie the BEAR, using a scaffold to directly repair the torn ends) is a newer technique that is still in the early stages and not typically done on elite athletes. But it does lean towards earlier return to sport,” Dr. Brian Sutterer wrote on X. “So was it actually a reconstruction, or did he have a repair and we might expect him back in the summer/early fall?”
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The Chiefs have not yet responded to Dr. Sutterer’s questions.
Dec 7, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) walks off the field after the game against the Houston Texans at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amy Kontras-Imagn Images
Will Mahomes be ready for 2026?
The 2026 NFL season opener is set for Sept. 10. That means Mahomes will be racing against the clock to be ready in time for Week 1.
Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady offered Mahomes some advice during the latest episode of the “Let’s Go!” podcast. He suffered a torn ACL in 2008, so obviously he knows what it takes to recover properly from this injury.
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“You’ve just got to put as much diligence into the rehab process,” said Brady, who went on to win four Super Bowls after his injury. “I always feel like the faster you rehab, the faster you can get back to practicing the sport that you know you love. I think sometimes people will pace themselves. Instead of training mode, they’re in rehab mode. I think you got to get through rehab mode as fast as possible, and then you get back to training mode.
We certainly hope Mahomes has a speedy recovery. The NFL is a better product with No. 15 on the field.
This story was originally published by The Spun on Dec 16, 2025, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.