3 days ago
5
Kansas City Chiefs fans' collective sigh of relief could be heard as far as California and New York after general manager Brett Veach provided a positive update on quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
After tearing his ACL in the closing weeks of 2025, the star quarterback's chances to take the field as Kansas City's Week 1 starter were in jeopardy. But over the weekend, both Veach and head coach Andy Reid had optimistic outlooks on Mahomes' status for upcoming team workouts and the 2026 season.
The updates from Reid and Veach come just over one month after Mahomes posted a video of himself on March 25 – 100 days after his injury – throwing on a turf field at an indoor facility. The quarterback had a sleeve on his left leg as he dropped back, planted his left foot and threw a pass.
"I wanna be ready for Week 1," Mahomes said in January. "The doctor said that I could be, but I can’t predict what’s gonna happen throughout the process. But that’s my goal, and so I’ll try to prepare myself to be ready to play in that Week 1 and have no restrictions.
"I'll hopefully be able to do some stuff in OTAs (in late May/early June) and get to training camp and hopefully be able to do a lot there."
During the offseason, the Chiefs traded for former New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields and drafted LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft. The two will compete with Chris Oladokun for Kansas City's backup spot – and potential Week 1 starter status if Mahomes is unable to go.
Patrick Mahomes injury update
On May 1, Veach provided the latest update on where Mahomes stood in his recovery process from the knee injury.
"He's in our building every single day," Veach said in an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio. "And even when he goes away for a few days, say to Dallas for a weekend with his family, he takes one of our trainers with him.
"So, needless to say, he’s way ahead of schedule ... we’re in a really good place right now."
During the Chiefs' rookie minicamp on May 2, Reid also told reporters that he believed Mahomes could see the field during Kansas City's OTAs (organized team activities) later in May.
Both Reid and Veach said they may need to hold Mahomes back from being a full participant in their early offseason workout programs and training camp.
Reid mentioned that Mahomes' participation in OTAs in the spring could affect whether the Chiefs can place him on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list to begin training camp in July. Veach said limiting the quarterback's participation come training camp could be a matter of "protecting [Mahomes] against himself" to keep him healthy for Week 1 and beyond.
What is Patrick Mahomes' injury?
Mahomes tore his ACL and LCL on Dec. 14 during a Week 15 game against the Los Angeles Chargers. He underwent surgery to repair the ligaments in his knee the following day.
When will Patrick Mahomes return?
According to an article published by Arthroscopy, recovery from an ACL tear "typically spans 9 to 12 months." The "return to sport" phase ranges from 6-12 months, with the 9-12 month range listed as a likely timeline for return to competition.
The latest comments from Veach and Reid over the weekend suggest that Mahomes could be ready to participate in some on-field activities as soon as OTAs later this month. The Chiefs' quarterback is tracking for a full return by training camp if he's "way ahead of schedule" as Veach said, and he should be expected to be Kansas City's Week 1 starter in 2026 barring any setbacks.
Mahomes was seen throwing a football and dropping back to pass at the end of March:
More proof that Mahomes is superhuman 🗣️ (via @PatrickMahomes) pic.twitter.com/kP85QhwnoW
— NFL (@NFL) March 25, 2026When are Chiefs OTAs?
Kansas City's organized team activities (OTAs) are from May 26-28 and from June 1-3 this year.
The Chiefs' mandatory minicamp is shortly after: June 9-11.
Patrick Mahomes injury history
The three games Mahomes missed due to his ACL injury in 2025 were the most he's ever missed because of an injury in a single season. The Chiefs' quarterback has otherwise avoided severe injuries during his nine-year career so far.
That is not to say Mahomes has avoided injuries entirely.
In 2019, the then-reigning NFL MVP dislocated his right kneecap in a Week 7 game against the Broncos and missed the Chiefs' next two games. Mahomes returned in Week 10 and went on to lead Kansas City to a Super Bowl win.
The following year, during the 2020 playoffs, Mahomes suffered a concussion and sustained a turf toe injury during the Chiefs' divisional round game against the Browns. He managed to clear concussion protocol in the week following and returned to action for the AFC championship game against the Bills, throwing for 325 yards and three touchdowns to send Kansas City back to the Super Bowl. Mahomes underwent surgery to repair his turf toe in the offseason.
In 2022, during the divisional round of the playoffs, Mahomes sustained a high ankle sprain in the first quarter of the Chiefs' matchup against the Jaguars. He returned in the second half and played through the sprain for the following three weeks to bring Kansas City another Super Bowl championship.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Patrick Mahomes injury update: Chiefs QB 'ahead of schedule'
