The 2026 training camp was a major test not only for the Kansas City Chiefs, but also for their biggest star. Patrick Mahomes wants to return in the best possible shape after his serious injury, and he told the media that his knee has been responding as expected.
“It feels great, pushing every single day, trying to stack days together,” Mahomes said Saturday to the press. “I feel like when you’re tired, sometimes you don’t even think about it. So, I’m trying to protect it, but at the same time, I’m trying to push it and get myself ready to go for the season.”
Although Andy Reid revealed that he likely will not use Mahomes during the preseason, the tests to ensure the QB is ready have been quite demanding: “I had to pass a test that that was pretty, pretty hard. And so, it was kind of about making me—so basically it made me really tired.
“Then they made me go out there and do a lot of cutting and jumping and all that different type of stuff. And so, I’m a competitor. So, when it comes to a test of physical ability, I wanted to go out there and do it, but (Dr. Dan Cooper) he wasn’t going to take it easy on me. He was going to push me to my limit and see what I got.”
Mahomes’ serious injury
On December 14, 2025, Patrick Mahomes suffered a severe knee injury late in the fourth quarter of a 16-13 loss against the Los Angeles Chargers. Scrambling to his right near the line of scrimmage, the Chiefs star was tackled by defensive lineman Da’Shawn Hand, causing his left knee to buckle awkwardly underneath him. The impact resulted in a torn ACL and LCL, instantly ending his season and requiring major offseason surgery.
Chiefs’ preseason is approaching
The Chiefs’ three preseason games will be a major test as they look to be in the best possible shape for their Week 1 debut against the Denver Broncos. With Justin Fields likely to start, these are the three games Andy Reid’s team will play.
- vs Los Angeles Rams, August 15
- at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, August 22
- vs Seattle Seahawks, August 28
Quarterbacks Justin Fields #6, Chris Oladokun #19, Garrett Nussmeier #14 and Patrick Mahomes #15.
Chiefs Kingdom wants to return to the top
To bounce back and make another Super Bowl run, Andy Reid’s squad will need a full recovery from Patrick Mahomes following a brutal 2025 campaign where Kansas City missed the playoffs for the first time since 2014. The Chiefs struggled to a 6-11 record, finishing 3rd in the AFC West behind the Denver Broncos (14-3) and Los Angeles Chargers (11-6).
Kansas City’s offense took a severe hit during the losing stretch, averaging just 21.3 points per game (362 total points scored) while relying on a stout defense that allowed only 19.3 points per game (328 total points against). Rebuilding offensive line depth, retooling the offense, and getting Mahomes back to full health will be critical if the Chiefs want to reclaim division dominance and return to championship contention.
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