Just days before the start of the 2026 NFL season, Kansas City head coach Andy Reid gave Chiefs Kingdom plenty of reason to feel optimistic amid quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ recovery.
“As far as our roster goes, very good chance that Patrick will go ahead and start, unless something were to come up here in the next couple days,” Reid, 68, told reporters on Tuesday, September 8. “But most likely he’ll be the guy that’s out there.”
Mahomes, 30, suffered season-ending torn ACL and LCL ligaments in his left knee against the Los Angeles Chargers in December 2025. Since undergoing surgery to repair the tears, the two-time NFL MVP has been working to be under center during the Chiefs’ Monday, September 14, season opener at home against the Denver Broncos.
“He’s shown everything,” Reid said of Mahomes’ rehab. “He hasn’t missed a day as you know. You guys have seen him out there so you know what it looks like, him running around and doing his stuff. Other than having a brace on his leg, everything looks normal. He’s running around the same way he’s always done and throwing the ball like he’s always done. I think we’ll be fine there.”
Mahomes described his recovery as “a long process” before the Chiefs kicked off training camp this offseason.
“I think that’s what I’ve learned throughout this entire thing,” the quarterback said in July on Yahoo! Sports Daily. “All I can do is be as great as I can be every single day. You just have to maximize that day and then slowly get better and better as the year goes on.”
He continued, “We’ve had a great recovery program going these last few months and we’re in a good spot. Now it’s just about trying to continue to do that so that I’m ready to go whenever the season comes around.”
Mahomes confirmed it was his “goal” to take the field against the Broncos, but acknowledged it ultimately isn’t “his decision.”
“But at the same time, I’m going to give the doctors and the coaches every single opportunity they can to let me be out there Week 1,” he said “I don’t want to miss that game.”
Mahomes and the Chiefs will get a stiff test to start the season, facing a team that came up just short against the New England Patriots in last year’s AFC Championship Game.
“We know we’re playing a real good opponent with the Denver Broncos,” Reid said on Tuesday. “Look forward to that challenge of playing them. They’re well-coached and they’ve obviously got a good roster.”
The Chiefs and Broncos face off Monday, September 14, with kick-off scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN.
