Patrick Mahomes has spent nearly nine months working toward his return to the Kansas City Chiefs, and Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton is not expecting the quarterback to show any limitations when the AFC West rivals meet in Week 1.
The Chiefs have not officially announced Mahomes as their starter for the September 14 game at Arrowhead Stadium. But Payton made his expectations clear during his Wednesday press conference, saying Denver is preparing to face Mahomes at full strength after his recovery from a torn ACL and LCL.
“I’m going to probably say the same for Bo [Nix] — you’ve seen enough things where he’s going to be 100 percent and we’re preparing for him at his best,” Payton said, according to a transcript provided by the Broncos. “We know how talented he is, and I’m sure he’s attacked the rehab the way Bo has with completely different injuries. That’s kind of our approach to it.”
Payton’s assessment comes after Mahomes spent training camp checking off several important milestones in his comeback.
Patrick Mahomes Says His Knee Has Responded ‘The Right Way’
“Oh, he’s back… ain’t no ‘potentially.’” 😳🔥
Worthy just made that pretty clear.
QB1 is BACK. 🔥😈
Mahomes suffered the torn ACL and LCL in his left knee on December 14, 2025, against the Los Angeles Chargers. He underwent surgery in Dallas shortly afterward, with Dr. Dan Cooper performing the procedure.
Kansas City proceeded cautiously with its quarterback during the preseason, keeping him out of all three games. His practice workload told a different story.
Mahomes received clearance in late July to participate in all football activities and did not need scheduled rest days during training camp. He worked on his footwork in the pocket, scrambled during 11-on-11 periods and gradually tested his ability to make reactionary movements on the repaired knee.
“Being able to go out there, day after day, and have the grind of a camp, that can even be harder than the [regular] season,” Mahomes said on August 25, via ESPN’s Nate Taylor. “It’s been awesome for me to be able to do that. It’s exciting. I didn’t know if I was going to have to take days off, but my body has responded the right way.
“Honestly, the more we practice, the better I feel.”
Mahomes also acknowledged that his competitive nature occasionally led him to test the knee more than the Chiefs’ coaching staff wanted.
“I try to not make those hard cuts, but at the end of the day I’m a competitor,” Mahomes said. “It just kind of takes over sometimes. You want to still prove it to yourself that you can do it. I’ve been able to do that in certain spots of making quick, reactionary cuts, which I think is the biggest thing. I’ve felt great doing it.
“The coaches kind of come up to me, like, ‘Hey, let’s calm down a little bit.’ Just being a competitor, I want to go out there and win and give everything I have for the team.”
Sean Payton Prepares for Patrick Mahomes ‘At His Best’ in Week 1
“I could see the hard work starting just weeks after the surgery—I could see the determination, I could see the frustration in his mind that it got to this point this year—that’s a huge reason why I’m still playing the game—I
Payton’s decision to prepare for Mahomes at his best is significant considering the quarterback’s history against Denver.
The Chiefs have gone 13-2 in Mahomes’ 15 starts against the Broncos. Denver has still challenged him at times, with Mahomes throwing 21 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in those games.
Mahomes has maintained throughout his recovery that he expects to be ready for Week 1. His ability to practice throughout training camp without needing days off only strengthened that expectation.
He is also setting a high bar for what the Chiefs can accomplish once he returns.
“We’re gonna be a new version of the Chiefs that goes out there and dominates the same way the old one did,” Mahomes said at the annual Chiefs Kickoff Luncheon.
The Chiefs will host the Broncos on September 14 on “Monday Night Football.”
Patrick Mahomes Gets Unexpected Message From Broncos HC Sean Payton Ahead of Chiefs Return