Things did not go according to plan for Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in 2025. It was a forgettable campaign for the two-time NFL MVP. He played 14 games in the season, registering 315-of-502 completed passes (62.7%) for 3,587 yards, 22 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. The 30-year-old’s campaign was cut short by a season-ending knee injury that forced him to miss the Chiefs’ last three games.
Kansas City finished with a 6-11 record for third in the AFC West. They missed the playoffs for the first time since 2014. This is also the first time in Mahomes’ nine years with the Chiefs that he did not play in the postseason.
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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15).Denny Medley-Imagn Images
(Denny Medley-Imagn Images)
Mahomes underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee on Dec. 15. This was just one day after he suffered the unfortunate injury in a Week 14 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Mahomes has since been working hard on his rehab. Head coach Andy Reid previously said Mahomes will remain in Kansas City to continue his recovery throughout the offseason. This is a significant change for the three-time Super Bowl champion QB, who usually heads home to Texas with his family in between NFL seasons.
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Mahomes himself declared earlier this month that his plan is to be ready for the start of the 2026 season.
“I want to be ready for Week 1. The doctors said I could,” Mahomes said, “but I can’t predict what happens throughout the process. That’s the goal, to play Week 1 and have no restrictions.
“You want to be out there healthy and give us the best chance to win. I hope to do some things in OTAs and training camp and be able to do things there.”
Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt made an appearance on NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football” on Tuesday. He discussed Mahomes’ road to recovery and confirmed the six-time Pro Bowler’s target return date.
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“I was with Patrick a couple of days ago in our training room,” Hunt said. “Watching him go through the work that he’s doing to get back onto the field with the rehab. Nobody works harder than Patrick.
“He certainly has a goal of being back for the beginning of the season. I wouldn’t put it past him. He’s somebody in the past who has healed quickly. Again, his work ethic I think gives him a huge advantage of getting back and being ready to play in 2026.”
Clark confirmed that both Mahomes and the Chiefs are remaining optimistic that he will be ready to start the 2026 season in September. This gives Mahomes around eight more months to fully heal from one of the most significant injuries of his career.
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Last season, the Chiefs’ Organized Team Activities (OTAs) started on May 27. Their mandatory minicamp kicked off on June 17. They will likely have a similar schedule this year, and these will be crucial dates to monitor regarding Mahomes’ recovery and his goal of being ready for Week 1.
Related: Chiefs TE Travis Kelce’s Podcast Shares Super Bowl Update
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jan 27, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.