Patrick Mahomes is ‘spending a lot of hours’ on his rehabilitation as he bids to defy the odds and return in time for the start of next season, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has revealed.
Mahomes has a battle on his hands to be fit for Kansas City’s opening game of the 2026 campaign after suffering a torn ACL and LCL in their defeat to the Los Angeles Chargers earlier last month.
The typical recovery timeframe for a multi-ligament knee injury is nine to 12 months, meaning he faces a race against time to play the Chiefs’ Week 1 game in early September.
Yet according to Reid, the three-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback is already putting serious work in as he looks to pull off the unthinkable.
‘He’s in the building working and doing his rehab, spending a lot of hours doing it,’ the 67-year-old said about Mahomes this week.
‘He’s really attacked that and will continue to do that. He’s around and sees the guys, but most of his time is being spent rehabbing.’
Mahomes’ injury capped a miserable afternoon all round for Kansas City as the loss to LA officially eliminated them from playoff contention.
He made a return to Arrowhead Stadium on Christmas Day when the Chiefs took to the field against the Denver Broncos for a festive divisional showdown, which ended in another defeat.
The 30-year-old was spotted looking glum as he took in the showdown against the Broncos from one of Arrowhead’s luxury boxes, with Denver running out 20-13 winners on the day.
Reid’s team was without backup quarterback Gardner Minshew as well as Mahomes, with the pair tearing ligaments in their knees in back-to-back weeks.
When he does return, it remains to be seen whether Mahomes will line up next to good friend Travis Kelce once again.
Kelce is set to ponder retirement for the second straight year following Kansas City’s playoff disaster, having nearly walked away from the NFL after their Super Bowl defeat last season.
The 36-year-old tight end has kept his cards close to his chest about what the future holds, insisting he will reach a decision once the season is over and he has had time to hold talks with Chiefs, as well as his friends and family.
But he has said before that he won’t play for any other team in the NFL than the Chiefs.