Patrick Mahomes‘ Week 1 return for the 2026 NFL season against the Denver Broncos is near reality following Andy Reid’s status update and the quarterback’s comments on his knee brace. Now, offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy has also weighed in.
In a press conference, Bieniemy stated he knew from Day 1 of his return to Kansas City that Mahomes would be ready for Week 1. “He’s been working his ass off since Day 1 of this injury… I’m not shocked or surprised… It shouldn’t be a story because of the nature of the competitor,” Bieniemy said.
Bieniemy believes Mahomes‘ competitive nature made his approach to rehabilitation predictable. “But on top of that, you know, it shouldn’t be a story because of the nature of the kid and the competitor that he is,” Bieniemy continued. “All right. When I came into this building on that first day, I saw him working. I was like, ‘Welp, he’ll be ready.'”
Bieniemy prepares game plan vs Broncos
With left tackle Josh Simmons expected to miss the opener due to a lingering back injury, undrafted rookie Kahlil Benson will start in his place. Benson emerged as a threat to win the right tackle job over veteran Jaylon Moore during training camp, but moving to the left side—where he never played in college—came as an unexpected development. Kansas City will also feature Mahomes alongside Kenneth Walker, who will serve as a lethal weapon.
Patrick Mahomes of Kansas City Chiefs.
Bieniemy expressed confidence in his rookie tackle to adjust, even against one of the NFL‘s better pass rushes. “Go play and have fun,” was Bieniemy’s message to Benson.
“This kid has worked his tail off. We’re talking about a kid who played on a national championship team. The beauty of having Kahlil is this: you’ve got Trey [Smith] and Creed [Humphrey] in that room. You’ve got two leaders that have been on this offensive line since Day 1, and those guys are doing a great job with the communication aspect, but also just mentally helping him to understand the what’s, the why’s, and the how’s.”
Facing a tough Denver defense
Bieniemy acknowledged that the opener will present a tough test given that Vance Joseph leads the opposition as defensive coordinator, making them difficult to overcome. He had nothing but praise for Denver’s Joseph and his players, especially along the defensive line.
“Vance is an outstanding coach. He’s done a great job with that defense. Those guys play their asses off. They were in that AFC championship game and probably a few plays away,” Bieniemy said. “We know Mr. 15 (Nik Bonitto) can get after. We know Zach Allen can get after. This team is pretty good at every level.”
Bieniemy returned to Kansas City as offensive coordinator in January, reuniting him with a quarterback he previously coached during some of the most successful seasons of Mahomes’ career. Now Bieniemy and Mahomes will begin their latest season together with considerable attention focused on the quarterback’s repaired knee.
