Patrick Mahomes participates in Chiefs OTAs with heavy knee brace, still targeting Week 1 return

The Kansas City Chiefs' decade-long tally of playoff appearances came to an abrupt extremity successful Week 15 past play aft they came up short astatine Arrowhead Stadium successful a crippled against nan Los Angeles Chargers.

Superstar backmost Patrick Mahomes sustained a season-ending ACL wounded erstwhile he scrambled to effort and prime up immoderate yards successful nan game’s last minutes.

At nan time, nan Chiefs said Mahomes would "begin his rehab process immediately." On Thursday, nan two-time NFL MVP took a important measurement forward, returning to nan believe section for seven-on-seven drills and connecting pinch wide receiver Xavier Worthy for a touchdown pass.

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Kansas City Chiefs backmost Patrick Mahomes warms up earlier an NFL crippled against nan Jacksonville Jaguars successful Jacksonville, Fla., connected June 6, 2025. (Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP)

"Come on, baby!" Mahomes yelled doubly arsenic he hopped toward nan sideline successful celebration, pinch a knee brace serving arsenic a reminder of his reconstructed knee. Thursday's convention marked nan first believe of nan week that was unfastened for nan media to watch.

While nan three-time Super Bowl champion participated successful seven-on-seven drills, he did not return portion successful 11-on-11 work. Mahomes is astir 5 months removed from a process to reside a torn ACL and LCL.

PATRICK MAHOMES THROWING FOOTBALL AGAIN THREE MONTHS AFTER ACL TEAR

"It was bully to beryllium backmost connected nan section pinch nan guys, much than anything," Mahomes said aft Thursday's organized squad activities (OTAs) session. "Some of those days you’re rehabbing, you’re present by yourself aliases pinch a mates of nan different guys. You benignant of get that juice erstwhile everyone gets backmost successful nan building. It was bully to beryllium retired there."

In January, Mahomes said he was aiming to beryllium fresh for nan Chiefs’ regular-season opener successful September. This week, he retired that goal.

Patrick Mahomes of nan Kansas City Chiefs carries nan shot past Danielle Hunter and Azeez Al-Shaair of nan Houston Texans during nan 3rd 4th astatine Arrowhead Stadium successful Kansas City, Mo., connected Dec. 7, 2025. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

"That’s ever going to beryllium nan goal. I don’t want to miss games. As a competitor — arsenic a shot subordinate — I want to beryllium there," Mahomes said. "I cognize it’s still a agelong ways away. I can’t foretell nan future. So each I tin do is beryllium awesome today, and past proceed to beryllium awesome tomorrow. But I’ve gotten to wherever I’ve gotten to because of that mindset."

Chiefs coach Andy Reid continued pinch a cautious attack pinch Mahomes this week, keeping nan backmost retired of drills wherever location was a greater consequence of unintended contact.

Regardless of nan constricted workload, Reid credited Mahomes for nan months of activity he put successful to scope this shape of his recovery, saying nan backmost had "busted his tail" to get backmost connected nan believe field.

"I for illustration what I’ve seen. He’s moving hard," Reid said. "This is bully for him — getting retired location and throwing is bully for him."

While Mahomes has resumed throwing, he said he has yet to afloat ramp up his running, describing that arsenic nan adjacent shape of his recovery.

Kansas City Chiefs backmost Patrick Mahomes scrambles during nan 2nd half of an NFL crippled against nan Los Angeles Chargers successful Kansas City, Mo., connected Dec. 14, 2025. (Charlie Riedel/AP)

"I’m successful a bully spot now compared to wherever immoderate group thought, but I thought I was gonna beryllium here," Mahomes said of his progress. "It’s conscionable doing what I’m expected to do each azygous day, and past hopefully, that gives maine nan chance to beryllium retired location pinch nan guys whenever we commencement nan season."

Mahomes said he does not scheme to alteration his playing style erstwhile he does suit up successful games, insisting he would still "lay it connected nan statement for my guys" erstwhile nan infinitesimal demands it.

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The Chiefs will big nan Denver Broncos on Sept. 14 successful nan regular-season opener for some teams.

"The extremity astatine nan extremity — nan very acold extremity — is to beryllium fresh to beryllium capable to spell retired location and play pinch nan guys Week 1 astatine Arrowhead," Mahomes added. "But I’ve sewage to return it time by day."

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