The Kansas City Chiefs aim to bounce back in 2026, coming off a season in which they didn’t even qualify for the playoffs. Patrick Mahomes suffered a serious knee injury late in 2025, but general manager Brett Veach revealed that the quarterback’s recovery is defying the odds.
“He’s very far ahead of schedule,” Veach said during an appearance on SiriusXM. “I think the biggest challenge we’re going to have is protecting Mahomes from himself because I’m sure that when we get to St. Joseph, Missouri, for training camp, he’ll want to be fully involved.”
This important progress placed Mahomes in a position to potentially participate in parts of the Chiefs’ offseason training program if his recovery continues without setbacks. In fact, Mahomes’ progress allowed the Chiefs to waive Jake Haener without hesitation as the QB room is already full.
Preventive measures for the Chiefs
Mahomes is recovering from a tear of the anterior cruciate ligament and the lateral collateral ligament in his left knee, which he suffered last December in the Chiefs’ Week 15 loss against the Los Angeles Chargers. Although the typical recovery time is nine to 12 months, his current progress puts him on track to potentially return for training camp before the 2026 NFL season, if not earlier.
Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs.
“It’s been really inspiring,” Veach said. “I’ve been there with Pat before, when he dislocated his knee and worked his tail off to come back in three weeks. I knew that that obstacle in the road wouldn’t slow him down at all.”
Even with Mahomes apparently ahead, Veach is focused on protecting him throughout the rehabilitation process. Although his return to the field would provide a boost, the team remains focused on taking a cautious and long-term approach rather than rushing him back.
“We’ll have to hold him back a little,” Veach said. “I don’t want to put a timetable on it, but I think you know the type of person and competitor that Pat Mahomes is. I would just say we’re in a pretty good place right now.” Now the focus shifted less on the knee itself and more on managing Mahomes’ competitive spirit.
