After a strong free agency, the Kansas City Chiefs fans are in for a treat with a former NFL doctor and injury expert issuing a significant update about QB1 Patrick Mahomes‘ injury. The star signal-caller has been out of action since a season-ending knee injury in Week 15. However, three months later, when a video of Mahomes being back on the field was shared on social media, David J. Chao issued his assessment of the injury.

“Looking great for ACL/LCL tear,” former NFL doctor David J. Chao reported via X. “Doesn’t mean ready or 100% for week 1 (but let’s hope so). Still quite limited here on the left knee.”

The former San Diego Chargers’ head doctor presents the Kansas City faithful with an optimistic yet cautious update about Patrick Mahomes’ injury after the Chiefs QB1 released a video of him practicing, which had a caption, “Day by Day! Felt Great being able to throw the ball around today!”

The 30-year-old suffered the injury against the Los Angeles Chargers in the final minutes of a 16-13 loss. The Chiefs quarterback scrambled out of the pocket towards his right while he was chased down by defensive end Da’Shawn Hand.

However, when Mahomes planted his left foot and threw the ball away for an incompletion, his left knee buckled. Upon hitting the turf, the three-time Super Bowl champion instinctively reached for his left knee, clearly in pain.

Then, as per the X-rays after the game, Mahomes had torn his ACL and LCL to conclude an already difficult season with 22 touchdowns against 11 interceptions in 14 games for the Chiefs last year. With Kansas City missing the playoffs without Mahomes, the star quarterback shared his goal is to be ready for the first week of the 2026 season, a month after his surgery.

“The doctors said I could, but I can’t predict what happens throughout the process,” Mahomes said then. “That’s the goal, to play Week 1 and have no restrictions. You want to be out there healthy and give us the best chance to win. I hope to do some things in OTAs and training camp and be able to do things there.”

After these comments and the recent video, it appears that Patrick Mahomes is on the path to recovery and will hopefully soon return to his form to attempt a Lombardi Trophy win in 2026. Mahomes has spent much of his rehab working with Julie Frymyer, one of the Chiefs’ top athletic trainers.

“He’s around here all the time,” coach Andy Reid said last month of Mahomes. “He spends a ton of time here, seven hours a day. He’s in there cranking away and making progress every day. It’s great to see. Julie grinds on him and makes sure he stays on task, and challenges him. He keeps showing up. That’s about half the battle on these things when you have these injuries.”

While Patrick Mahomes continues his recovery, the Chiefs aren’t repeating their mistakes of last season with the franchise securing much-needed insurance for their quarterback position by trading for an exciting dual-threat signal-caller as a backup.

Kansas City trades for Patrick Mahomes’ backup for 2026

After failing to find quality production from backup options like Gardner Minshew and Chris Oladokun, the Chiefs’ front office completed a trade for former New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields in exchange for a 2027 sixth-round pick. As part of this deal, the Jets will pay Fields an $8 million signing bonus while earning $3 million fully guaranteed from the Chiefs.

While many raised questions about Fields’ trade to the Chiefs, especially after a disappointing 2025 season with 1,259 yards, 7 TDs, and 1 INT, adding 4 rushing scores, FS1’s Nick Wright believes this acquisition will help both parties moving forward.

“If you were to tell me, Patrick (Mahomes) is going to miss the first month of the season, which I do not think is going to happen. I would have rather had Kirk Cousins as my backup,” said Wright, “If you were to tell me Patrick’s going to be there in week one, I would rather have Justin Fields, because once Patrick is back and healthy, Kirk Cousins serves no utility. I think Fields can get on the field, even once Patrick is back in (good) health.”

With Justin Fields as a backup and Patrick Mahomes nearing his Week 1 recovery timeline, the Chiefs could start off the 2026 season on a dominant note and return to Super Bowl contention immediately after a no-postseason 2025.