Veterans officially report on July 28, after quarterbacks and rookies arrive earlier in the week, while the first practice sessions get underway before fans are welcomed to a series of open workouts beginning July 29.

With Patrick Mahomes leading the offense and expectations remaining as high as ever, training camp offers the first real glimpse of the Chiefs’ 2026 roster, from position battles and rookie standouts to key practice dates and fan access.

What are the key dates for the Chiefs’ 2026 training camp?

The Kansas City Chiefs’ 2026 training camp officially runs from July 24, when rookies report, through August 20, with the first open practice taking place on July 29 at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri.

Veterans are scheduled to report on July 28, while quarterbacks join the rookies for the opening phase of camp before the full squad takes the field. Fans will have multiple opportunities to watch the defending AFC contenders in action.

Open practices begin on Wednesday, July 29, with most sessions starting at 9:15 AM CT. Although admission is free for the majority of practices, attendance is limited and advance ticket reservations are required.

A handful of sessions, including Season Ticket Member Days, are not open to the general public. Training camp also features several fan-focused events throughout the three-week schedule.

Team autograph sessions are planned on select days, while themed events such as Family Fun Day on August 8 and Military Appreciation Day on August 20 are among the highlights before they shifts the focus to preseason competition.

The schedule gives Andy Reid and his coaching staff nearly four weeks to evaluate rookies, integrate free-agent additions and prepare returning stars such as Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce before the regular season begins.

When is the Chiefs’ first preseason game after training camp begins?

The Kansas City Chiefs will play their first preseason game on Saturday, August 15, 2026, when they host the Los Angeles Rams at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:00 PM ET (3:00 PM CT).

The matchup gives Andy Reid his first opportunity to evaluate the roster against outside competition. While established veterans could see limited snaps—or none at all—the game will be especially important for rookies and recent draft picks.

Kansas City returns to the practice field after the Rams game before continuing its preseason schedule with a road matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on August 22. Those contests will help finalize the 53-man roster.

Per Nate Taylor of ESPN, Andy Reid said the following, “Our hearts go out to Eric Bieniemy… Mia is stable, which is a plus… We all love EB and you hate seeing those things happen… Real life. You take care of that. She’s a saint, one of God’s good blessings. But things happen.“

Taylor also reported that Reid set no timetable for Bieniemy to return, as family is priority. In the meantime, Joe Bleymaier, who usually serves as the team’s pass game coordinator, will take over the offensive coordinator duties until Bieniemy returns.

Bleymaier is a well-known coach for the Chiefs

While Bieniemy attends his wife, Bleymaier will step up as the interim OC. Bleymaier has been with the Chiefs for a decade, joining the franchise in 2016 as the quality control coach.

Bleyamier’s duties and roles have changed a lot over the years, but he is a very well respected coach within the Chiefs confines. In fact, Bleymaier was one of the assistant coaches for the Chiefs given credit for helping them convert a 4th-and-1 play in the 2020 AFC Divisional Round that helped them advance into the next round of the playoffs.

Andy Reid is still at the helm

While the Chiefs are dealing with all this, the fact remains that the offense still relies heavily on the brain of Andy Reid, the head coach of the team. Reid has always been regarded as one of the best offensive minds in the NFL.

While he lets the OCs work and put their inputs into the Chiefs games, playcalling and concepts still run through Reid. As of now, the focus is on Bieniemy to be there for his wife, Reid and Bleymaier to plan on what’s ahead for the offense, and Patrick Mahomes to keep rehabbing his knee as he wants to get ready for Week 1.

The No. 6 overall draft pick says things improve every day. Delane spends most of his time learning the playbook and working on conditioning. “It’s good, just getting better every day,” Delane said.

The positive thing is that the Chiefs didn’t consider placing Delane on the PUP list. This suggests this is a relatively minor injury. Hence, it seems like all parties are in agreement as to the return timetable for Delane. In fact, Andy Reid also provided a positive injury update on Delane.

The Chiefs need Delane badly

Kansas City lost starting corners Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson to the Rams this offseason. Hence, Delane is really someone that the Chiefs need to play exceptionally well from the start of the 2026 NFL season.

Thankfully for the Chiefs, Mansoor Delane is considered an elite, high-level cornerback prospect. Also, Kansas City has been able to scout this position pretty well in recent years. Hence, the benefit of the doubt must be given to the team.

Delane has upside and coaching to his benefit

Delane has plenty of potential and upside. He delivered the goods in all key scouting stats. But Delane’s tools are not only exciting by themselves, but also he enters a great situation altogether.

The Chiefs have one of the best defensive coordinators in history in Steve Spagnuolo. That will help Delane massively to not only be great from the get-go, but also develop to his best potential.

Unfortunately, the path to becoming a professional player for the former LSU Tigers cornerback did not get off to the best start. A shoulder injury suffered during OTAs raised concerns, but the head coach still feels confident about his outlook moving forward.

“Delane right now is having his final physical. Right now. So he’s right in the process of that and is doing well there,” Reid said while addressing the reporters on Friday. He also praised the attitude and approach the player has shown throughout his preparation.

“We like the way he goes about his business. He’s a focused kid, he seems to be a smart, sharp kid. He’s willing to work. He was banged up a little bit but he’s willing to work. He’s aggressive that way — too aggressive in the way he hurt himself there. You’ve got a good player and he’s got to get in and go and get the reps in the defensive scheme.”

Reid looks to get injured players back on track

Mansoor Delane’s injury situation is not the only one to keep a close eye on in Chiefs Kingdom. The good news for the team is that Andy Reid revealed Patrick Mahomes is fully cleared for training camp after suffering a serious knee injury.

Another player who is not arriving at this stage of preparation in the best physical condition is Omarr Norman-Lott. The defensive tackle, who is dealing with a knee injury, will likely start on the PUP list while waiting for his full recovery.

Delane arrives as the CB1

After trading star cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams, the Kansas City Chiefs made a bold move to secure his replacement by trading first-, third-, and fifth-round picks to move up and select LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane sixth overall in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Delane steps into massive shoes, as McDuffie was an elite cornerstone of Kansas City’s secondary, winning two Super Bowls (LVII and LVIII) while earning First-team All-Pro (2023) and Second-team All-Pro (2024) honors.

Across 56 regular-season games with the Chiefs, McDuffie racked up 246 total tackles, 34 pass deflections, 8 forced fumbles, 5.5 sacks, and 3 interceptions. Kansas City is now counting on Delane’s instincts and athletic profile to anchor the defensive backfield and fill the void left by one of the league’s top lockdown corners.

During a recent press conference ahead of the start of this stage of the NFL calendar, Mahomes made his stance on the situation clear. The goal, in order to avoid injuries like the one he suffered toward the end of the 2025 season, is to take better care of himself and look for more alternatives in his teammates.

“I plan to be able to to do everything I did before. I’ve been moving around and doing that stuff but, I’m obviously try to take care of myself a little bit better,” he said.

If needed, he now has an elite running back in the offense: “I think I ran little bit too much last season in general, so I’ll try to get better with that. Then if all else fails, I’ll just hand it off to K9 (Kenneth Walker) and let him go to work.”

A major setback for Mahomes

On December 14, 2025, Patrick Mahomes suffered a season-ending torn ACL in his left knee during a Week 15 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. The injury occurred in the final minutes of the fourth quarter when his knee buckled awkwardy as he was brought down by defensive lineman Da’Shawn Hand while trying to scramble out of the pocket.

Mahomes underwent successful surgery the following day to repair both his ACL and LCL, ending a tough 2025 campaign that also saw the Chiefs miss the postseason for the first time since 2014.

Mahomes wants to protect his knee

Recovering from an injury can have different challenges for an NFL player. Mahomes does not want to leave anything to chance, and besides seeking advice from a player of Tom Brady’s caliber, he also has not ruled out the possibility of continuing to wear his knee brace to avoid setbacks.

“I’m going start off with it just because I’ve worn it before and I feel comfortable with it. So that that’s kind of where we will start, but it’s not like I’ve been told I have to wear it or how long I have to wear it,” he said via NBCSports.com.

“It’s just going to be my comfortability how I feel. But I will start with it on just because I feel like I can still move and be myself with it. I played with it in college and then we’ll just see where we go from there.”

What to expect from Kenneth Walker III

Coming off a dominant 2025 campaign with the Seattle Seahawks where he rushed for 1,027 yards and 5 touchdowns on 221 carries (4.6 YPC) while adding 31 receptions for 282 yards—and capping it all off as the Super Bowl LX MVP—expectations for Kenneth Walker III in Kansas City are sky-high.

After signing a three-year contract with the Chiefs in March 2026, the explosive back is set to step immediately into the RB1 role. With his elite contact balance and big-play ability, Walker III will serve as the undisputed focal point of the rushing attack, leaving clear depth and complementary roles for Emari Demercado and rookie Brashard Smith behind him.

What’s next for the Chiefs?

The 2026 NFL training camps are slowly starting to take shape, and while the Chiefs remained cautious regarding Mahomes’ situation, they are now expecting him to be there on July 28. The location where Andy Reid will watch his players return to action will be Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri.

Per Charles Goldman of AtoZSports, “Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes says that he’s talked to Tom Brady, Tyrann Mathieu, and Zach Ertz about his knee injury recovery, getting some advice from players who have suffered similar injuries.”

That is a very huge sign of maturity by Patrick Mahomes. Brady, not so long ago, was Mahomes’ nemesis in the league. Now, Mahomes is seeking a retired Brady for advice. Also, speaking to a former teammate like Tyrann Mathieu and a respected veteran like Zach Ertz speaks to Mahomes’ will to get back to his best.

Mahomes recovery timetable

Now that Andy Reid revealed Patrick Mahomes’ status is a good one, the timetable is very optimistic. Mahomes suffered his ACL tear the last December, so the 9-month period recovery should be up by Week 1. Hence, he is right on track.

Now, Mahomes is not looking at just recovering, but getting back to his best shape. If Mahomes manages to do so, he could really be rewriting history. Mahomes is a Chiefs legend already, and he could be an even bigger one if he delivers a ring after a knee injury.

Who can replace Mahomes if necessary?

If Patrick Mahomes suffers a setback, which would be unfortunate, the Chiefs would have Justin Fields stepping up as the quarterback. Fields is very mobile, but the Chiefs would suffer a lot in terms of arm-strength and accuracy.

Reid said, “Pat (Mahomes) is doing great with his [recovery]. He’s cleared to practice in all the different periods we have in camp… He’s been cleared to participate in full.”

Hence, after a blown knee, Mahomes is scheduled to take the field in Week 1 and that’s absolutely and positively great for the Chiefs. Mahomes is clearly a difference-maker and is the best quarterback in the 2020s decade.

Reid gave other injury updates on the Chiefs

“Omarr Norman-Lott will most likely start on the PUP list, but is making progress,” Reid said about the defensive tackle. Hence, the defense will have to wait a bit to get their defensive line fully healthy.

As for Rashee Rice, Reid said, “Rashee Rice, with his knee debridement, is doing great… He is cleared to go.” So in that case, Mahomes and his best weapon are ready to roll.

Mahomes revamps this offense in massive ways

An elite QB makes a good offense, a great one. A great offense into a top-tier unit and that’s what Mahomes does. He elevates the Chiefs offense in many ways. This is how the Chiefs starting offense looks right now:

• QB – Patrick Mahomes
• RB – Kenneth Walker III
• WR – Rashee Rice
• WR – Xavier Worthy
• TE – Travis Kelce

Hill posted a video of himself working out and said the timeline for his return is still unclear. The more concerning news is that Hill said he has “no power” in his left leg, where he suffered a dislocated knee, torn ACL and LCL during last season.

The Kansas City Chiefs, alongside many other teams who showed some kind of interest, will clearly be wary of signing Hill now. Also, Hill is 32 years old already. Combine his age with his serious knee injury, and the concerns outweigh the upside.

Could Tyreek Hill miss the entire 2026 NFL season?

Fitness-wise, Hill is still optimistic, though his status for Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season is in serious jeopardy. Still, a full recovery should happen before the season ends.

The real danger for Hill in 2026 is that no team trusts he is fully fit to actually be of help to the offense. One could argue that aspect is the one that jeopardizes Hill’s season the most.

The injury also puts Hill’s strengths into question

Hill’s biggest strength was his speed and swiftness. Now that his leg and knee are very compromised, questions on his speed are also rising. Also, his ability to change directions in open field is poised to be slower too.

Hill’s future in the NFL is an uphill battle right now. His status as a top-tier wide receiver in the league might be over. For now, his focus is to recover in the best way possible, then, look ahead into the future.

The franchise plans to open the new venue in 2031, marking the beginning of a new era for Chiefs Kingdom and Patrick Mahomes after decades at Arrowhead Stadium.

With a lot of excitement already building around the project, the Chiefs released their first images of the enclosed stadium that will anchor the team for years to come.

When will Chiefs open new stadium?

The official date is 2031, but, the plan is already progressing. That’s why the Chiefs released the initial concept renderings for the new enclosed stadium that will be built in Kansas City, Kansas. CEO Clark Hunt said:

“Today we are excited to show Chiefs Kingdom a first look at our new home. From the beginning, our goal has been to build something that improved the gameday experience for every single fan. This new stadium will do just that. It’s spectacular. It honors the rich legacy of this franchise while setting a bold course for the future of Chiefs Kingdom. While we’re still finalizing many of the details, there are a few things we know for sure: it will still be the best place in the world to tailgate, and the whole building will be built for noise.”

How much will the new Chiefs stadium cost?

The project is expected to cost approximately $3 billion. According to the plans released by the organization, the stadium will feature a fully enclosed roof constructed with translucent ETFE panels, allowing natural light into the venue while protecting fans from the elements.

What’s the capacity of new Chiefs stadium?

The new stadium will have a capacity of 70,000 spectators and will include approximately 20,000 parking spaces, preserving the tailgating culture that has long been one of the defining traditions of Chiefs home games.

“The assumption, knowing him as a person, is that he’ll be champing at the bit to get on the field, as he was in the spring. And while that enthusiasm is appreciated, it’s also a reminder to exhibit some caution,” the reporter said via SI.com.

“There’s an expectation among Chiefs people that Mahomes will be fully cleared this week, and also the knowledge that when they tell him he can go, he will really go,” Breer also added. “So the plan is to be smart with it, and make sure everyone is doing what’s going to put him in the best position to be at his best from September through February, not just ready for Week 1.”

Although Mahomes‘ situation appears promising ahead of the start of the upcoming season, Chiefs Kingdom does not want to skip any steps and wants to handle his recovery in the best way possible.

What injury did Patrick Mahomes suffer?

During the 2025 NFL season, Patrick Mahomes suffered a season-ending injury on December 14, 2025, in a Week 15 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. Late in the fourth quarter while trying to extend a play, Mahomes planted his left foot to throw the ball away just as Chargers defensive lineman Da’Shawn Hand brought him down.

His left leg twisted awkwardly under contact, causing him to tear both his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and lateral collateral ligament (LCL). He underwent successful repair surgery in Dallas shortly after the game.

The Chiefs’ season debut

The Kansas City Chiefs will make their official debut in the 2026 NFL season with a high-profile Monday Night Football matchup. The game will take place on September 14 at Arrowhead Stadium, where they will face the Denver Broncos.

Chiefs’ backup plans at quarterback behind Mahomes

Leaving nothing to chance, Andy Reid’s Chiefs decided to significantly strengthen their quarterback room depth chart amid uncertainty surrounding Mahomes’ availability. They added Justin Fields during the offseason, selected LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier in the latest draft, and already had the experience of Chris Oladokun on the roster.

Mahomes has already delivered everything the Chiefs could have hoped for when they selected him in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Since then, he has transformed the franchise into a perennial contender and helped bring three Super Bowl championships back to Kansas City.

According to ESPN insider Adam Schefter, the latest agreement is unlike anything the NFL has seen before. “Record deal: The Chiefs are adding two years to Patrick Mahomes’ contract, tying him to Kansas City through the 2033 season at a value of $504.75 million, making it the first NFL deal valued at over a half-billion dollars.”

How much money will Patrick Mahomes earn with Kansas City Chiefs?

Patrick Mahomes will earn $64 million per year after his new deal with the Kansas City Chiefs. Schefter explained the record numbers. “Mahomes can make up to $522.25 million through incentives and escalators. Beginning in 2027, when the new money begins, the deal averages $64 million per year, setting an NFL record for average annual value.”

The journey to this historic agreement began with one of the greatest bargains in modern NFL history. Mahomes entered the league in 2017 on a four-year rookie contract worth approximately $16.4 million.

While standard for a first-round quarterback, the deal quickly became one of the NFL’s best values as Mahomes developed into a superstar and led the Chiefs to multiple championships.

In 2020, Kansas City rewarded him with an amazing 10-year, $450 million extension. Even though the deal shattered records at the time, many analysts viewed it as team-friendly because it provided long-term flexibility and helped the Chiefs manage the salary cap while continuing to build a championship roster around their franchise quarterback.

Patrick Mahomes’ contract compared to other NFL QB’s

Now, the Chiefs have adjusted that agreement once again to better reflect the modern quarterback market. The NFL’s financial landscape has changed dramatically in recent years, with Dak Prescott reaching the $60 million-per-year mark and other elite quarterbacks such as Joe Burrow and Josh Allen approaching or exceeding $55 million annually.

By revising Mahomes’ contract, the Chiefs ensure their most important player remains compensated in line with the league’s top quarterbacks while maintaining a partnership that has already produced one of the NFL’s greatest dynasties.