Patrick Mahomes wanted to get back on the field when the Kansas City Chiefs faced the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday. The Chiefs had other plans.
Mahomes sat out the preseason matchup as Kansas City continues to manage his return from the serious knee injury he suffered late last season. During the third quarter, however, Mahomes made it clear that he was ready and willing to play.
“I really wanted to play today, but they would not let me,” Mahomes said with a grin during an interview with former Chiefs quarterback Trent Green on the KSHB 41 broadcast.
Mahomes tore the ACL and LCL in his left knee during Kansas City’s December 14 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. He underwent surgery days later and has spent the offseason working his way back.
Now, the three-time Super Bowl MVP says he’s feeling increasingly comfortable on the field.
Patrick Mahomes Says He’s Getting ‘More and More Athletic’
Mahomes has participated throughout training camp, although he’s worn a brace on his surgically repaired knee for much of the summer.
“I feel great,” Mahomes told Green. “I’m getting more and more athletic every single time I’m on the football field, and that’s all you can ask for. … It’s been good to go through training camp and get that full training-camp experience and so I feel great.”
The quarterback has one more opportunity to get preseason snaps. Kansas City finishes its preseason schedule against the Seattle Seahawks on Friday at Arrowhead Stadium.
Mahomes isn’t hiding his desire to play.
“I’m always trying to play,” he said. “If he’d [Chiefs coach Andy Reid] put me in the game in this fourth quarter, I’d play right then.”
The final decision, however, belongs to Reid and the Chiefs’ medical staff.
“At the end of the day it’s up to Coach Reid and I have to trust that he’s going to do right by me,” Mahomes said. “Like I said, I prepared like I was going to play this game. Obviously, I didn’t get to play, but I’ll prepare next week. We’ll see if I get to play then. If not, I’m going to be ready to go for that first game of the year, God willing.”
Mahomes Is ‘Extremely Confident’ He’ll Be Ready for Week 1
Whether Mahomes gets preseason snaps or not, his biggest target remains Kansas City’s regular-season opener against the Denver Broncos on September 14.
Mahomes said he is “extremely confident” about being available for the AFC West matchup.
“At the end of the day, all I can do is get better and better each day,” Mahomes said. “I’ve got to keep taking that step and keep taking that step over and over again. But as long as there’s no setbacks, I think I’m going to have the best possible chance to play out there — as long as the doctors say yes and Coach Reid says yes — but we’re trending that direction.”
Mahomes has already pushed through an aggressive rehabilitation process following his December surgery. While he’s leaving the final call to the doctors and Reid, he’s making it clear that sitting out isn’t his preference.
His rehabilitation apparently hasn’t slowed him much at home, either.
“That is the ultimate rehab is chasing those kids around,” Mahomes joked.
She’s is just the cutest little clone of Patrick ever! 💕
🎥 | BrittanyLynne on Instagram
Brittany Mahomes provided an example while her husband was with the Chiefs in Florida. She shared an Instagram Story showing their youngest daughter, Golden, getting into a drawer filled with candy.
After catching Golden reaching into the stash, Brittany tagged her husband with a simple request: “Come get your kid, @patrickmahomes.”
Patrick Mahomes Admits Andy Reid and the Chiefs Denied His Request for the Buccaneers Game