Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs confirmed that Patrick Mahomes is out for the rest of the season after suffering a torn ACL in his left knee during the loss against the Los Angeles Chargers. In the face of this devastating scenario, and with the team officially eliminated from the playoffs, the head coach sent a message of gratitude to his players and promised not to give up in the three remaining games on the schedule.
āPatrick hurt his left knee. Guys are down. They busted their butt to win the game. I wouldnāt expect anything less. Itās not a great feeling. I wouldnāt expect it to be after losing a game. I canāt tell you Iām happy. Itās a tough deal when you deal with that, but, at the same time, weāve got a few more games here that weāve got to take care of. It wasnāt a lack of effort. It was just we had some mistakes that cost us.ā
The big question is whether this marks the end of a dynasty that won the Super Bowl three times and dominated the AFC for nearly a decade. It is unclear how long Mahomes will take to recover, Travis Kelce must decide whether to retire, and young players like Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, and Isiah Pacheco did not perform at the expected level.
Are Chiefs eliminated from the playoffs?
Yes. The Chiefs are eliminated from the playoffs after losing 16-13 to the Los Angeles Chargers. Andy Reid took responsibility and assured that he is not thinking about the long-term future, as the team must finish the season with dignity.
āWe came up short on both sides of the ball and special teams. I appreciate the effort of the guys stepping up and playing hard. Weāve got to do better. Thatās my responsibility. Iāll look in the mirror first on this. We got to take care of business the next few games. I wanted to come out different obviously. I havenāt gone too much further than that.ā
Undoubtedly, the AFC will experience a very unusual situation without the Chiefs as a threat in the playoffs, which could open the door to the Super Bowl for teams like the Broncos, the Patriots, and, of course, Josh Allen and the Bills.

see also
Are Chiefs eliminated from 2026 NFL playoffs after loss against Chargers in Week 15?
What is the status of Patrick Mahomesā injury?
Patrick Mahomes suffered a torn ACL in his left knee, and the only question left is what surgical options he might consider. What is certain is that the star quarterback will not return for the 2025 season.
How long will Patrick Mahomes be out with a torn ACL?
Patrick Mahomes would be out for six to nine months with the Kansas City Chiefs, depending on the type of procedure he chooses and the recovery process. The goal is for him to be ready for the start of the 2026 season.





