It did not take long for Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes to make an emphatic statement about his status following a season-ending ACL injury. Mahomes scampered into the end zone for a rushing touchdown to announce his return to the NFL.
After the game, it appears there were still members of the Chiefs organization who were concerned about Mahomes’ health. A private conversation between Mahomes and Chiefs owner Tavia Hunt was captured following the team’s decisive win over the Denver Broncos.
Mahomes attempted to once again make it clear that his leg is doing just fine after his first NFL game in nine months.
“I’m good,” Mahomes responded in a video captured by Yahoo Sports’ Jori Epstein. “Glad to be back out there.”
Here’s what you need to know about Mahomes and the Chiefs heading into Week 2.
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes Admits to Being Nervous About His Previously Injured Leg Getting Hit
All Mahomes did is throw two touchdown passes and run for another TD while leading the Chiefs to a 21-point victory over the Broncos. It appears Mahomes is even more confident about his leg following the season opener.
“If I was going to say I was nervous for anything, it was getting hit on it,” Mahomes noted, per Sky Sports. “But I just wanted to play. I’ve done so much rehab and so much work to put myself in this position. I just wanted to play.
“This is what you do it for. My guys around me helped me. I didn’t play my best football and we went out and beat a really good football team pretty well, and it’s because the guys around me stepped up.”
Chiefs Players & Coaches Amazed by Patrick Mahomes’ Ability to Play in Week 1
It is challenging for Mahomes to surprise his teammates at this point of his career. Yet, Chiefs players and coaches have gushed over Mahomes’ dedication to rehab.
“There were no days off. He kept stacking the days,” Reid told The Athletic’s Jesse Newell for a September 14, feature titled, “How Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes recovered so quickly from knee injury: ‘It’s incredible’.”
“Some days you don’t want to go in there. You’re not feeling it. But he kept showing up.”
Patrick Mahomes’ Injury: An Optimistic Timeline Would Have Had Chiefs QB Returning in October
It was no guarantee that Mahomes would be able to suit up in Week 1, even with an aggressive rehab timeline. A modest timeline would have had Mahomes return in October, per Newell.
Instead, Mahomes opted to have the surgery as quickly as possible which fast-tracked the quarterback’s recovery.
“At one point, someone looked at the calendar,” ESPN’s Nate Taylor explained in a September 14, feature story detailing Mahomes’ rehab process. “The first Sunday of the 2026 NFL season was scheduled for Sept. 13, 273 days away.
“While exploring surgical options, a phone call was made to Dr. Dan Cooper, the renowned Dallas Cowboys head team physician who specializes in knee and shoulder injuries,” Taylor added.
“Cooper presented a proposition to Mahomes: If he wanted to return to the field as soon as possible, giving himself a chance to be back in uniform for the start of the Chiefs’ 2026 campaign, he would need to fly from Kansas City to Dallas the next morning to have surgery.”
Patrick Mahomes’ Private Message on Injury Caught on Video Minutes After Chiefs Win