The Kansas City Chiefs are on a mission to reclaim the NFL throne after losing to the Philadelphia Eagles at Super Bowl LIX and missing the playoffs in the 2025 season.
For the Chiefs to return to the top of the league, it is paramount that Patrick Mahomes be healthy and on the field in 2026.
However, former NFL quarterback Tim Hasselbeck, while discussing the Chiefs’ apparent lack of offseason moves to address depth in the passing attack, raised concerns about Mahomes’ form once the quarterback returns from the season-ending injury he suffered late in the 2025 campaign.
“When he’s back, will he be the Patrick Mahomes that we remember?” Hasselbeck said during a recent appearance on ESPN’s NFL Live.
The Chiefs’ wide receiver room features the likes of Xavier Worthy and Rashee Rice, and those names don’t inspire Hasselbeck. At the same time, Hasselbeck showed concern about whether Mahomes will be able to play like the old Mahomes after the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player went down with a torn ACL in a Week 15 game against the Los Angeles Chargers in 2025.
But Mahomes is still just 30 years old, and there are many examples of players who have successfully returned and performed at a high level after such a setback.
In 2025, Mahomes passed for 3,587 yards and 22 touchdowns against 11 interceptions in 14 games.
