Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes made it clear Thursday that his long recovery from a serious knee injury has tested him in ways that go far beyond the football field.
The team opened training camp with quarterbacks and rookies reporting to Missouri Western State University’s campus. Head coach Andy Reid delivered positive news right away, telling reporters that Mahomes has been cleared for full participation in practice.
Mahomes tore his ACL and MCL during a December game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Standard recovery timelines for such injuries often leave players sidelined at the start of the following season. Yet the three-time Super Bowl MVP now looks capable of being ready for the 2026 opener against the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football.
“I feel stronger than I’ve ever felt, as far as strength and lifting [weights],” Mahomes said. “I feel amazing.”
He added that simply returning to the field has lifted his spirits after months of grueling work indoors.
“I’m excited just to be able to play football,” he continued. “I’ve been seeing cinderblock walls rehabbing every single day in Kansas City. Now, to be on that practice field with my teammates, it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
The Chiefs finished last season with a disappointing 6-11 record, and Mahomes has poured everything into putting that behind him. Still, the hardest moments of his rehabilitation had little to do with missing games or practice reps.
When asked about the biggest mental challenge during the lengthy process, Mahomes pointed straight to his role as a father. He and his wife, Brittany, are raising three young children: Sterling, 5; Bronze, 3; and Golden, 1.
“Honestly, the toughest part was at the beginning, not being able to get up and chase my kids around,” Mahomes said. “I know it sounds crazy, but being a dad and being active, I always want to be around my kids and playing and stuff like that. That was tough.”
Once he regained enough mobility to keep up with his kids, the progress fueled him further.
“But once I was able to do that, it kinda motivated me to keep getting better and better. So, when Bronze has a T-ball game, or Sterling is playing soccer, I can be out there with them. I always knew I was going to get back to [training camp]. Just because of my mindset and the people around me. Once I was able to do that, it mentally helped me get through this process.”
The family stayed busy throughout the offseason despite the injury. They attended the wedding of teammate Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift in New York City and made plenty of time for everyday moments with the children. Photos and videos from those months showed Mahomes carefully managing his recovery while still showing up for family events.
At Sterling’s fifth birthday party in February, Brittany went down a large slide with Bronze and Sterling while Mahomes watched from nearby. In March vacation pictures, he appeared wearing a protective leg sleeve. By April that sleeve was no longer visible.
For the start of training camp, Mahomes plans to use a knee brace. He stressed that the decision is personal rather than mandatory.
“I’m going to start off with it just because I’ve worn it before and I feel comfortable with it… But it’s not like I’ve been told I have to wear it or how long I have to wear it. It’s just going to be my comfortability, how I feel,” he said.
“I still feel like I can move and be myself with it [because]I wore it in college. And then we’ll just see where we go from there.”
Mahomes’ rapid progress has surprised some observers familiar with the typical timeline for combined ACL and MCL tears. His determination, support system and focus on family appear to have played major roles in getting him back on the field this quickly.
As the rest of the roster reports and practices intensify, the quarterback will continue testing the limits of his recovered knee while balancing the demands of football with the everyday responsibilities of being a father.
