New Patrick Mahomes Injury Update, Latest Rumors on Chiefs QB's Timeline and Potential Week 1 Return

Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes is "progressing" in his return from a torn ACL and is "tracking" to be ready for the start of the 2026 NFL season, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Thursday on SportsCenter (1:43 mark)

"He's already made great progress from that torn ACL injury. He certainly is tracking to be ready for the start of the regular season. That's going to be his goal. He's going to do everything he can to be back out there, and I think people believe that ultimately he will be, but there's a long way to go between now and then."

Mahomes has managed to avoid serious injuries for most of his career, but his luck ran out at the end of the 2025 campaign when he suffered a torn ACL against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Before that injury, which occurred in Week 15, Mahomes had never missed more than two games in a season since taking over as the Chiefs' starter. The last time he had missed more than one game was during the 2019 campaign.

Luckily for the Chiefs and Mahomes, he avoided significant damage to his other ligaments when he tore his ACL. Still, his initial timeline to return was 9-12 months.

Mahomes' torn ACL coincided with Kansas City's worst season since 2012. The Chiefs finished 6-11, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2014. Their nine-year run as AFC West champions also came to an end.

Now, Mahomes is hoping to make a speedy recovery so he can get back to leading Kansas City to Super Bowls. If he's unable to go come Week 1, the Chiefs will likely look to Justin Fields under center until their QB1 is ready to return.