Chiefs confirm extent of Patrick Mahomes’ injury: When would the QB be able to play again?

When it rains, it pours. Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs learned just that as the 2025 NFL season came to an abrupt end in Week 15 of the campaign. Though losing to the Los Angeles Chargers stung, it wasn’t even the worst news to hit Kansas City on Sunday.

“An MRI has confirmed that Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes sustained a torn ACL in his left knee in today’s game. Patrick and the club are currently exploring surgical options,” the Chiefs announced Sunday on their social media. Mahomes broke silence after the knee injury with a sincere comment of his own.

In addition to the tough blow for the remainder of the 2025 NFL season, insider Tom Pelissero reported Mahomes could be sidelined for the start of next year’s campaign. According to Cleveland Clinic, athletes usually take between 6-9 months to recover from surgery on an ACL. Some take even longer before being cleared for return.

Mahomes injury history

Throughout his NFL career, Mahomes has battled several injuries both in the regular season and in the playoffs. However, the three-time Super Bowl champion has never sustained an injury as demanding as an ACL tear. Mostly, Mahomes has suffered setbacks in the lower section of his body.

Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Still, the Chiefs’ quarterback had managed to play through most of his injuries. He even led Kansas City to a Super Bowl conquest in 2023 while dealing with a Grade 3 high ankle sprain. Needless to say, the ACL tear suffered against the Chargers in Week 15 of the 2025 NFL campaign is a different beast—and the worst injury Mahomes has had in his professional career.

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Video: Patrick Mahomes suffers scary injury in the end of Chiefs-Chargers

It’s also the second time the product out of Texas Tech has sustained a setback to his knee, as he suffered a patella dislocation back in the 2019 season. Week 15 brought many firsts for Mahomes and the Chiefs. For the first time in his career, Mahomes has missed the NFL Playoffs, and he will be sidelined with a season-ending injury.

Minshew-Mania

As for the remaining three games of the campaign, backup Gardner Minshew will command the huddle in Kansas City. However, with the playoff dream crushed to pieces and the best player in franchise history out for the season, fans in the Show-Me State won’t even pretend to care.