Kansas City Chiefs superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered a torn ACL in the 16-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15.
Mahomes underwent surgery and is hoping to make a full return by the start of the 2026 season, although a torn ACL is never an easy injury to come back from. On Thursday, the Chiefs’ star QB addressed the media for the first time since the surgery, and he gave an update on his status.
“It’s been going great…I wanna be ready for Week 1. Doctors said that I could be, but I can’t predict what’s going to happen throughout the process, but that’s my goal,” Mahomes said.
He added that he hopes to do “some stuff in OTAs” and he is “excited for the process” while saying it is a long process.
“I wanna be ready for week one”
— SleeperChiefs (@SleeperChiefsKC) January 15, 2026
Patrick Mahomes on a zoom call, speaking to the media for the first time since tearing his ACL.
Via (@Chiefs)#ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/5CHVIUB171
Mahomes’ aiming for a Week 1 return is nothing new, and the Chiefs QB had surgery the very day after tearing his ACL, which caught the attention of many, including ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
An ACL recovery timeline is estimated from six months to one year, but Daniel Jones and Joe Burrow are a few QBs who recently returned after 9-to-10 months following an ACL tear.
The Chiefs have plenty of questions to answer entering this offseason, but having Mahomes fully ready for Week 1 of the 2026 season would be a big boost.
