The Kansas City Chiefs will make their Week 1 debut of the 2026 NFL season against the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football. Aside from how both franchises begin their campaigns, the most compelling storyline surrounds the imminent return of quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who has already received a status update from head coach Andy Reid.
Speaking at a press conference, Mahomes shared his feelings about returning to the NFL field after roughly 8 to 9 months sidelined by injury. “Not necessarily. I think it’s going to be hard for me not to just be myself when I step on the field. I mean, even if you saw me in training camp, the moment stuff started happening, I just became a competitor,” Mahomes said.
“I don’t think it’ll be anything crazy. Just go out there, play football. Usually, you get hit once or twice, and you’re kind of like, alright, I’ve got to go out there and play, and so I’m excited just to be out there on the field again with my teammates and try to find a way to get a win.”
The knee brace Mahomes will wear in his return
Mahomes did not play in the preseason, but he actively participated in pregame warmups and was a full participant in team practices. Nine months have passed since he suffered a devastating knee injury in Week 15 last season against the Los Angeles Chargers, and he is expected to wear a knee brace on Monday night. “I’ll wear it (knee brace). I mean, it was kind of designed for my type of injury,” Mahomes said.
Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs
“I was kind of one of the first people to get it, and I’m very comfortable with it, and that’s why I’ve practiced throughout OTAs and training camp and then now, being in the season, is to kind of prepare myself to be comfortable with it, and I don’t even think about it when I have it on other than when it gets loose. Usually it’s better when I wear pants, so I’m excited for that. Maybe I’ll have to slide a little differently, but other than that, I’ll be able to go out there and play.”
Mahomes appeared in uniform for every preseason game without entering a contest. He finished last season with 22 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions in 14 games before the knee injury. Now, he will look to have a better season with the Chiefs, where, as stated by the quarterback, he will feature Kenneth Walker as a top-tier weapon.
What is expected from the Chiefs
The Chiefs missed the playoffs last season after Mahomes went down, while Denver went on to win the AFC West. Now Kansas City gets an immediate opportunity to take on the defending division champions, and they are clearly looking to start on the right foot against the Broncos.
