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PHOENIX – Talk about new territory. Andy Reid is not only navigating a much longer offseason than he’s been accustomed to after the Kansas City Chiefs missed the playoffs and had their streak snapped at nine consecutive AFC West titles, but the venerable coach has also been engaged in a new way to bond with star quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
It’s rehab.
While Mahomes is diligently rehabbing from surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee, Reid is on the mend, too.
Reid, 68, is rehabbing from right knee surgery that resulted from long-term wear and tear.
Reid and Mahomes are often in sessions simultaneously administered by Chiefs physical therapist Julie Frymer at the team’s headquarter, which has taken the connection linking the dynamic quarterback and coach to another level.
“If we both do it right, we’ll have one good guy,” Reid said March 31, during a media session at the NFL owners meeting. “It’s his left knee and my right knee.
“Listen, he’s got to play in a game. That’s a challenge. All I have to do is stand up on the sideline. So, mine’s a little bit easier than his is. He’s done a great job in attacking it. I’ve been right there, able to watch him do it. Julie warms up on him and takes it out on me.”
The good news, Reid reported, is that the three-time Super Bowl MVP has had no setbacks with his recovery. Although a specific timeline for Mahomes’ return has not been announced, the hope is that he’ll be ready for the start of the regular season in September.
Then again, Reid won’t even hint at pressing the issue.
“Julie does a great job with him,” he said. “She manages him, I stay away. But I haven’t had to say anything to him about that, although I’ve been right there with him. I’ve been able to see him every day he’s been in the building. But he’s doing great.”
The status of Mahomes’ recovery will likely represent the NFL’s most compelling storyline heading into the coming season. He’s the face of the NFL after all.
Mahomes' uncertain status means Kansas City likely won’t be the opponent for the NFL kickoff game hosted by the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks on Wednesday, Sept. 9, Chiefs owner Clark Hunt told reporters this week.
“I don’t think that’s on the table anymore,” Hunt said. “I think from a league standpoint, there would be some concern whether (Mahomes) would be ready to go.”
Perhaps a key marker will come in preseason. While many teams opt not to play starters during the preseason, Reid has been prone to give his starters snaps in the exhibitions – and in the past Mahomes has been a willing participant in using the games while ramping up to the speed of the regular season.
When someone asked Reid about the potential of Mahomes playing in the preseason – if, of course, he’s cleared fully medically by then – the coach didn’t automatically rule it out.
“I think the key is, if he’s ready,” Reid replied. “We’re not going to force something in there. If we think he’s in a position where he’s sound, yeah, potentially he could. I’m not telling you one way or another. I want to see him progress and keep going.”
Then again, Mahomes could open camp on the physically-unable-to-perform (PUP) list, which would significantly limit his work. Asked to project how he might handle such a hypothetical, Reid gave the best possible answer. And it seemed so sincere.
“I’m going to defer to the experts on that,” he said. “So, if he’s good to go, he’ll go. If he’s not, we’ll manage that. So we’ll just cross it as we go. Everybody’s different. Everybody heals different. Everybody’s injuries are a little bit different. We don’t have to put him in a category. We’ll see, see where it goes.
“He’s doing good now, which is a plus. We’ll see. Right now, he’s more worried about the Royals.”
Mahomes is a part-owner of the Kansas City Royals. Yet Reid knows how his quarterback is wired. He’s undoubtedly fully invested in proving that the window hasn’t closed on the Chiefs ranking among legitimate Super Bowl contenders.
Still, this mission will have a different twist. The Chiefs have another Super Bowl MVP in their midst as former Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III signed as a free agent. This adds another dimension to lessen the load on Mahomes, who was forced to do much more with his legs last season to make up for a spotty running game.
“You know, he can take it the distance every time he touches the ball,” Reid said of Walker. “There’s that threat.”
Add the return of Eric Bieniemy as offensive coordinator, replacing the departed Matt Nagy, and it’s good bet that the intensity level has just risen a few notches.
Meanwhile, the defense will have a makeover, too, given departures that include the trade of Pro Bowl cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams.
Then there’s Mahomes’ new backup, Justin Fields. Obtained from the New York Jets, Fields will certainly benefit from developing his own bond with Reid. It’s one thing to realize that Fields is on his fourth team in four seasons. It’s another to recognize that he’s never had the coaching that he’ll get from Reid.
“I like his game,” Reid said. “He can do the drop-back stuff, the movement stuff, play-action, whether it’s a naked or sprint-out game. He has that whole package that he can do. He understands the screen game, how to set it up. He obviously is going to be one of the better athletes on the field when he runs out there. He likes to play the game. All the stuff I like, I’m OK with.”
Even so, the addition of Fields has the feel of a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency option. Unless he isn’t.
Fields might also provide Reid with the chance to design some creative wrinkles.
“He’s more than a gadget guy,” Reid said. “That’s not how I’m looking at him. That’s not why we brought him in. We brought him in to play quarterback if he’s needed to play quarterback, and then whatever goes from there. If he gets bored, we’ll have a couple things.”
Reid, who missed the combine a few weeks ago, shortly after having his knee procedure certainly won’t be bored. Missing the playoffs and being on the sidelines for a Super Bowl chase is not the ideal setup, but with the extra offseason time he is operating with a positive spin forward. He’s not crazy about the term “reset,” but that is an apt term for describing the current state of the Chiefs
“I’m not sure it’s a reset,” Reid said. “It’s a long offseason. And there’s some good in that. Yeah, you don’t want to be in that position. You can take advantage of some things there. If that’s what’s considered a reset, I guess that’s what you call it. I would say it gives you more time to go back and reevaluate.”
In other words, the Chiefs need to rehab more than knees.
Contact Bell at jbell@usatoday.com or follow on X: @JarrettBell
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Patrick Mahomes injury: Andy Reid updates Chiefs QB's status for season
