For the first time since 2014, the Kansas City Chiefs will be watching the NFL playoffs from home. Two-time MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes is watching a little earlier as he recovers from a torn ACL suffered against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15.
Mahomes underwent surgery to repair his torn ACL Monday in Dallas. Dr. Dan Cooper of the Carrell Clinic performed the surgery, and Chiefs officials say the star quarterback will begin his rehab immediately.
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Chiefs vice president of sports medicine and performance Rick Burkholder gave a recap of what happened to Mahomes and an update on his status today.
Burkholder said both the in-house staff with the Chiefs and Dr. Cooper agreed on the severity of the injury.
“Everything that he had in this injury was fixable, correctable and it was fixed on Monday night by Dr. Cooper,” Burkholder said. “He had no artery damage, no nerve damage, no joint surface damage, no meniscal damage. He’s already started rehab down in Dallas and he’ll do that through tomorrow and be back here Friday.
As you know in the past with Patrick and his injuries, he attacks them and does very well and he’s in that mode right now.”
Burkholder outlined that Mahomes will do the majority of his rehabilitation of the knee injury in Kansas City with the Chiefs’ staff. He reiterated that every player, sport and recovery from a knee injury like this is different but mentioned again how Mahomes has done well in recovering from prior injuries.
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Patrick Mahomes return timeline
Burkholder did provide an estimate for Mahomes’ return.
“Ballpark on this thing is nine months,” he said. “Could be a month or two less, could be a month or two more. You never know what goes and everyone’s designed differently bio-mechanically so you just have to go through it and then he has position-specific things he needs to do.”
That estimate puts Mahomes potentially in line to start early on in the 2026 regular season, if rehab goes accordingly.
The later end of the window could put him back on the field sometime in November.
The priority for Burkholder and the rest of the team is to get Mahomes’ muscles turned on and the overall swelling post-surgery down. The two-time MVP is in a brace while this is going on during the phase immediately after surgery.
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Compared to other players he’s worked with during rehabilitation, Burkholder acknowledges Mahomes is slightly different.
“As a player, his mindset is a little different than most. He’s so regimented in what he does, he’s in here at 6 a.m., he’s the last guy out at night,” he said. “He’ll take the rehab like that… when you add up all the little things, that allows the player to get back faster. They don’t heal up any faster they just get back to performance faster.”
With Mahomes out, the Chiefs will start Gardnew Minshew for at least their Week 16 game one the road aginast Tennessee.
Kansas City Chiefs’ playoff chances end with Patrick Mahomes injury
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) is attended to by team medical staff following an injury during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. on Dec 14, 2025.
Kansas City Chiefs’ playoff chances end with Patrick Mahomes injury
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) is attended to by team medical staff following an injury during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. on Dec 14, 2025.
Kansas City Chiefs’ playoff chances end with Patrick Mahomes injury
Kansas City Chiefs and Chargers players take a knee following an injury to quarterback Patrick Mahomes during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. on Dec 14, 2025.
Kansas City Chiefs’ playoff chances end with Patrick Mahomes injury
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) is attended to by team medical staff following an injury during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium as Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, second from right, watches.
Kansas City Chiefs’ playoff chances end with Patrick Mahomes injury
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) is attended to by team medical staff following an injury during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium as Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, second from right, stands on the sideline.
Kansas City Chiefs’ playoff chances end with Patrick Mahomes injury
Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Troy Dye (43) sacks Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) during the first quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. on Dec 14, 2025..
Kansas City Chiefs’ playoff chances end with Patrick Mahomes injury
Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton (8) rushes against Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill (23) during the second half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
Kansas City Chiefs’ playoff chances end with Patrick Mahomes injury
Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Odafe Oweh (98) sacks Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) during the second half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
Kansas City Chiefs’ playoff chances end with Patrick Mahomes injury
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid reacts to a play against the Los Angeles Chargers during the third quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. on Dec 14, 2025..
Kansas City Chiefs’ playoff chances end with Patrick Mahomes injury
Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh breaks up a confrontation between safety Tony Jefferson (23) and the Kansas City Chiefs during the fourth quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Jefferson was subsequently ejected.
Kansas City Chiefs’ playoff chances end with Patrick Mahomes injury
Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton (8) intercepts a pass intended for Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt (29) during the fourth quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
Kansas City Chiefs’ playoff chances end with Patrick Mahomes injury
Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Cam Hart (20) breaks up a pass intended for Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyquan Thornton (80) during the second quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
Kansas City Chiefs’ playoff chances end with Patrick Mahomes injury
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) passes against the Kansas City Chiefs during the fourth quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
Kansas City Chiefs’ playoff chances end with Patrick Mahomes injury
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) falls to the ground after being tackled against the Los Angeles Chargers during the second half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
Kansas City Chiefs’ playoff chances end with Patrick Mahomes injury
Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James Jr. (3) celebrates with cornerback Donte Jackson (26) and linebacker Daiyan Henley (0) following an interception against the Kansas City Chiefs during the fourth quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
Kansas City Chiefs’ playoff chances end with Patrick Mahomes injury
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, left, and Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh shake hands following a Chargers victory at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
Kansas City Chiefs’ playoff chances end with Patrick Mahomes injury
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) talks with Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James Jr. (3) following a Chargers victory at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Patrick Mahomes injury timeline: Chiefs give update on return date
