New Patrick Mahomes Rumors on Injury Return Timeline as NFL Schedules Broncos vs. Chiefs on MNF W1

Opening the season on Monday Night Football against the Denver Broncos could offer a tell as to how the recovery of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is unfolding.

ESPN's Adam Schefter said Thursday on Get Up that the NFL, along with the Chiefs, may be growing more confident about Mahomes' Week 1 status.

"You would never bet against Patrick Mahomes and the NFL certainly hasn't. The league has scheduled the Chiefs for the opening Monday night game of the year. The league doesn't do that unless they think that there's a realistic chance that Patrick Mahomes is going to be back. And I think the feeling is right now you have to see how the knee is progressing during the course of the summer, but the feeling right now within the organization is that he is tracking to be ready for that Monday night game against Bo Nix, who is coming off his own surgeries on his ankle, and the Denver Broncos in Kansas City."

The conversation begins at the 3:33 mark.

Schefter's report comes a little over a week after general manager Brett Veach said Mahomes is "way ahead of schedule."

A month after undergoing surgery to repair his left knee, the two-time MVP stated his goal of playing in Week 1. By March, he was looking pretty good in workouts.

Head coach Andy Reid told reporters in early May that Mahomes might be able to participate in OTAs, albeit in a limited form at first.

"He is in a good position to be able to do some things," the coach said. "If he can do some things, [he'll do it]. Phase 2 [of the offseason program], remember, there's no contact and there's no offense versus defense. It's Phase 3 that you get into that. ... He's in a position where he can do everything, I think."

Mahomes' importance to the Chiefs goes without saying. They at least put a good contingency plan in place by acquiring Justin Fields from the New York Jets. For all of his faults, Fields is a big upgrade over Chris Oladokun, Kansas City's backup for the final two weeks of 2025.

Signing Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III also alleviated some of the pressure on the passing game, regardless of who's under center.

Having Mahomes on the field for the opener would obviously be a nice boost to the Chiefs' bid to make the playoffs.

Starting Fields wouldn't be a disaster, though, because he has shown the last two years he's at least a good game manager. He should be able to hold down the fort, if necessary, until Mahomes is good to go.