Questions continue to surround Patrick Mahomes and his availability for the start of the 2026 NFL season, even as signs point toward the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback returning in Week 1.
During a recent appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” ESPN senior insider Adam Schefter discussed Mahomes’ recovery from the ACL injury he suffered during the 2025 season and cautioned that the star quarterback may need time to fully return to form.
“Is he gonna be 80%, 90%, 100%? Like that’s hard to imagine that he could just step in there right away after such a significant knee injury and pick up right where he left off and be as great as he’s always been,” Schefter said.
“I just think there’s gonna be a little bit of an adjustment to what he’s come back from, which is significant.”
It sounds like he’s tracking to be ready for their season opener on Monday night”
@AdamSchefter #PMSLiveMahomes suffered the injury in mid-December, immediately creating questions about whether he would be ready for the Chiefs’ 2026 opener against the Denver Broncos on Sept. 14.
Since then, updates from the organization and recent public appearances have fueled optimism about his progress.
Patrick Mahomes Golf Video Sparks Optimism About Chiefs Return
Mahomes recently appeared at his charity golf tournament in Las Vegas, where video of the quarterback swinging a golf club quickly circulated online.
The footage showed Mahomes wearing a compression sleeve on his knee while taking full swings during the event.
Former NFL quarterback Chase Daniel weighed in on the video, explaining why it could be viewed as a positive sign for Mahomes’ recovery.
“I mean, look at his swing. Look at his left knee,” Daniel said.
“What I’m looking at right now: if you can’t swing a golf club at five and a half months (post-op), then there is no way you are playing. But, he can, and he’s rotating it (knee) just enough to get enough juice on it.”
“It’s unbelievable. This just seems part of the script. You can internally rotate that knee, and he’s a little gimp, but if you can rotate that knee and swing a golf club, this is really, really good news.”
The NFL schedule also appears to reflect confidence in Mahomes’ availability. Kansas City opens the season in prime time against Denver before hosting the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday night in Week 2.
Andy Reid Addresses Patrick Mahomes’ Rehab Progress
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid addressed Mahomes’ recovery during an appearance on NFL Network’s “The Insiders.”
When asked whether the NFL contacted the team about Mahomes’ health before finalizing the schedule, Reid joked that he avoided sharing too much information.
“I don’t give them anything, doggonit,” Reid said.
“You give them too much, then you’re going to be playing over in Australia, doggonit.”
NFL executive vice president of media distribution Hans Schroeder later confirmed the league did not receive special insight regarding Mahomes’ rehab status before the schedule release.
Reid also praised Mahomes for his commitment to the recovery process.
“He’s doing great right now, and that’s kinda how you have to go about this,” Reid explained.
“I’ve said this before, people go, ‘well, he’s ahead of schedule.’… I’m going, ‘Who made the schedule?’ Everybody’s different, right?”
“Let’s just take it day by day. Nobody is spending more time than he is rehabbing. He spends seven hours here going through it. He hasn’t missed a day, and he wants more, all the things that are Patrick Mahomes.”
Reid also emphasized that the team plans to remain cautious before clearing Mahomes for game action.
“You’re not going to put the player in a position where he can’t tend to himself on the football field,” Reid said.
“So you’ve got to be smart with that, I think. Then you’ve got to rely on your medical staff.”
“If it’s Pat, he’d go play today. But that’s not where we’re at. We’ve got time here, and let’s see where we’re at.”
At this point, all signs continue pointing toward Mahomes being available for Week 1, though the Chiefs are still taking a measured approach with the former MVP’s recovery.
NFL Insider Issues Warning About Patrick Mahomes’ Injury Status Ahead of Week 1 Return