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All eyes are on Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes as he spends the offseason rehabbing from knee surgery.
Mahomes went down with a torn ACL during a Week 15 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers, causing him to miss the final three games of the 2025 season. He was fortunately able to have surgery the very next day before the swelling in his knee became too prevalent.
Because of that, and Mahomes’ relentless work ethic, he’ll have a shot to be ready for Week 1 of the 2026 season. That was proven on Wednesday when Mahomes shared a training video of himself dropping back and delivering a pass, just 100 days removed from surgery.
Will Patrick Mahomes Take the Field for the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1?
Mahomes being able to drop back and deliver a pass after just 100 days of recovery is a remarkable feat. It isn’t uncommon for most people to still be on crutches in that phase of recovery. Just a few weeks ago, NFL insider Jay Glazer reported that he wouldn’t be surprised if Mahomes is ready to play in Week 1 of the regular season.
“Patrick’s different,” Glazer said. “He went down and immediately got the surgery. Got the surgery the next day, which normally they don’t do because you want the swelling to [go down]. He got it before it really swelled up. That was on a Tuesday. I believe it was either Thursday or Friday of that week, he was already in the Chiefs’ training room doing rehab. He already had gotten his knee bending 90 degrees at that point. He’s just different. He heals differently. His pain threshold’s different. His work effort’s different. At first they were [talking about returning] the start of the season. I would hedge on him being [back] sooner than that, by far.”
Still nearly six months away from the beginning of the 2026 season, it’s becoming more encouraging that Mahomes will be ready to go. If he continues to stay ahead of schedule and is able to get medically cleared in time, he could take part in training camp during late July and early August.
Chiefs Have Insurance Policy if Mahomes Is Forced to Miss Regular Season Games
GettyChiefs QB Justin Fields
Kansas City acquired quarterback Justin Fields in a trade with the New York Jets just over one week ago. Not only will Fields serve as a quality backup for Mahomes, but he could start the first few games of the season in case it turns out that Mahomes isn’t quite ready. Fields is a five-year veteran who is a former first-round pick of the Chicago Bears.
Even with Mahomes currently throwing during his training, it’s likely that Fields gets most of, if not all, reps with the starting offensive during OTAs and mini camp. The Chiefs won’t rush Mahomes back into action, no matter how far ahead he may be. It is also a good way for Fields to learn the offense and build chemistry with his pass catchers.
Fields is a dual-threat quarterback who has a big arm and is dangerous with his legs. In 59 total games played, he has thrown for 9,039 yards, 52 touchdowns, 32 interceptions, and a 61.4 percent completion percentage. He has also racked up 2,892 rushing yards on 489 carries and 23 touchdowns.
Nick Roesch Nick Roesch covers the NFL for Heavy Sports, with a focus on the Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers, and Los Angeles Chargers. He previously covered the Chiefs for USA TODAY Sports’ Chiefs Wire, and all 32 NFL teams for A to Z Sports. Roesch’s career in sports media spans 10 years. More about Nick Roesch
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