Once Patrick Mahomes went down with a torn ACL in Week 15 of the season, it was immediately clear what the main storyline for the Kansas City Chiefs would be throughout the offseason: when will the quarterback be back on the field? Since the injury happened so late in the year, there was instant fear he could miss all of next season. It didn’t take long for Mahomes to express that he has other plans.
The star quarterback made it known that his goal is to be ready for Week 1 of the 2026 season, and he doubled down on that desire on Thursday. Speaking with the media, Mahomes said that rehab has been going great. Things have been going so great that he says doctors are having to hold him back. He’s ready to push harder, because he got assurance from doctors that it’s possible to meet the timeline he’s placing on his self, but it will take time.
#Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes says rehab is going great, doctors have to hold him back from wanting to push harder. He said his goal is to try to get ready for week 1 & play without restrictions. He said his doctors said it’s possible but a long way to go.
— Omar Ruiz (@OmarDRuiz) January 15, 2026
Patrick Mahomes says rehab is going well, as he aims for Week 1 return
Mahomes has been doing his rehab in Kansas City thus far, and he said the current emphasis has been getting his strength and range of mobility back. Working closely with doctors, the quarterback has been given checkpoints and goals, and he’s hitting them. It’s still early in the process, though, and the quarterback knows there’s plenty of work to be done.
While he has the ambitious goal to be ready for the first game of the season, Mahomes is still being honest with himself, saying, “I can’t predict what’s going to happen throughout the process.” The only thing he can do is set goals and work, and he’s holding up his end of the bargain. The rest is seeing how his body responds.
Mahomes had surgery to repair both his left ACL and LCL on December 15, the day after the injury occurred. With the NFL season kicking off in early September, that gives the quarterback roughly nine months total to return from the injury. It has been done, but it typically takes athletes longer to return to their full form; everyone responds differently.
While Chiefs fans would love for Patrick Mahomes to be on the field in Week 1, what everyone wants to see most is him back on the field, completely healthy and himself — however long that takes.