Patrick Mahomes wasn't the only one feeling pain when he went down with a torn ACL and LCL last December. In that nightmarish game against the L.A. Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs guard Trey Smith admits he also felt hurt—the byproduct of his brotherhood with Mahomes and his role as an offensive lineman.
Smith recently sat down with former NFL lineman Terron Armstead, who has a podcast called The Set, to discuss a number of subjects, but his comments about Mahomes' injury and rehab were the most vulnerable.
"As o-linemen especially, our job is to keep him safe and cool. Just seeing him get hurt, that hurt me a little bit," said Smith.Â
The good news is that Mahomes' rehabilitation is reportedly going well, and he looked like he'd made considerable progress during limited action in OTAs. Mandatory minicamp is coming this week, which should yield more footage and updates, but Smith also provided further perspective for Mahomes' tenacity—and his admiration for his quarterback's efforts.
"Just seeing the way he attacked it just speaks volumes to his character, not only as a man, but, you know, as a player and as a competitor. Like, dude, he's attacked rehab every single day with everything he's got. He’s a husband, he's a father, he's a brother, he's just going to be there and present in any way he can. He's gonna be the best version of himself."
Smith started the entire segment by commenting on Mahomes' competitive drive, since it's also what fuels his rehab. The Chiefs quarterback knows only one mode.
"Pat is the most competitive dude I've ever had the pleasure of being around, right? And it doesn't matter what it is. We be playing checkers with my guy, and he's still gonna try to kick your ass, right? To me, it's a worst-case scenario because I think he's gonna be the greatest quarterback to ever play the game. He does things I've never seen—I don't think we've ever really seen—and it's easy for him."
Smith says he "owes it" to Mahomes to perform well in 2026. No one should ever question the lineman's talents or effort. Smith's Pro Bowl resume speaks for itself, which is why the Chiefs committed $70 million in guaranteed money to lock him up for an additional four-year extension, which runs through 2028.
"I know, personally, I feel like I owe it to him to have my best season so he's clean, so he can do what he does and operate at a high level. Ultimately, I just wanted to get back healthy. I want him to take his time if he has to, but he’s going to do what he has to do. We have a great training staff, and we'll leave it at that. But I love him, and it’s good just to see him keep competing."
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