Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered a torn ACL during his team’s Week 15 loss to the Chargers.
But unsurprisingly, Mahomes is aiming to be back for the start of the 2026 season.
In a video conference with Chiefs reporters on Thursday, Mahomes said his goal is to return Week 1.
“Rehab’s going great so far, just hitting all the checkpoints that the doctor wants you to do, getting the strength and the range, mobility back,” Mahomes said. “So, that’s been going great, been doing all of it here in Kansas City so far. Julie [Frymyer, Chiefs assistant athletic trainer] has been crushing it, pushing me. The doctor kind of gives you goals to get to, and I just maximize those, and they hold me back because I always want to go a little bit further. So, it’s been going great.
“I want to be ready for Week 1. The doctor said that I could be, but I can’t predict what’s going to happen throughout the process. But that’s my goal. So, I’ll try to prepare myself to be ready to play Week 1 and have no restrictions. You want to be out there healthy and giving us the best chance to win. So, obviously, I’ll hopefully be able to do some stuff in OTAs, then get to training camp and hopefully be able to do a lot there, too. So, I’m excited for the process. It’s a long process, but I’m excited for it.”
Mahomes has gone through some injury issues before, but this is his first major injury with an extended rehab process since he became a pro. Mahomes, 30, completed 62.7 percent of his passes for 3,587 yards with 22 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 2025.
