Patrick Mahomes’ road back to the field this season started with a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee, suffered during the Kansas City Chiefs’ Week 15 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers last December, which ended their playoff hopes. Surgery followed almost immediately, and Mahomes has spent the entire offseason grinding through a rehab process he’s described as hitting every checkpoint, with one target in mind: being ready for Week 1.

Heading into the preseason, Andy Reid kept him out of both of their first two games as a precaution. However, there is growing speculation that the rest was only until the preseason, with Patrick Mahomes expected to start Week 1 against the Denver Broncos.

Now, appearing on First Things First, NFL analyst Geoff Schwartz has said the issue with starting Mahomes isn’t really around his physical readiness at this point. It’s about trust.

“Just trust and confidence, right? When you’re coming back from injury, that’s the toughest part as a player is trusting your body to do the same things you did previously. And then, of course, doing that with people running around your legs. You have to make that first throw when someone’s around his legs, how does he do that with confidence, right? How do you not have a flashback to the bad things that happen?”

Alongside Eric Mangini and Danny Parkins, Schwartz explained that regaining confidence in your own body is often the hardest part of returning from a serious injury, and that challenge only gets harder once defenders are closing in around his legs in a live game setting.

“I’ve done various points in my career where I’ve missed a season and come back. I’ve had times where I’ve missed a couple of weeks and come back. And every time you step on that field, you think to yourself, OK, like I, do I still have it? Do I still have it, right? Because look, practice is not a game.”

But Mahomes is confident in his rehab process and is excited to get back on the field ahead of Week 1. Ever since he was cleared to participate in all football activities for training camp in late July, Mahomes has not missed any practice and is positive about playing Week 1.

“It’s nine months. It’s the amount of time [doctors] said from the beginning, that if I did everything the right way, I would be ready to play Week 1. I’m someone that, if you put [a goal] out in front of me, I want to go out and get it and maximize every single opportunity, every rep in the weight room, every hour that I can spend in the building to get my body right.

“This has always been the plan. From the day I got the surgery, as quick as I did, to hopefully the first game of the year, the plan will go accordingly, and I’ll be able to go out there and be myself.”

However, the QB’s confidence can only go so far, making the Chiefs’ offensive line’s ability to keep him protected a crucial part of his return.

Meanwhile, Schwartz also pointed to the team’s offseason move for running back Kenneth Walker as a clear sign of intent, arguing the addition was made specifically to protect Mahomes. 

“To help Mahomes. They went and got Kenneth Walker for a reason. And when you look at what they’ve done schematically in the preseason. And the Chiefs are under center a little bit more, right, coach? Like they’re running the ball under center. They’re doing a little more action pass under center.”

He also broke down the changes that he saw in the Chiefs during the offseason. Schwartz said the Chiefs have leaned more into under-center formations, running the ball and using more play-action from under center than in recent years.

If the Chiefs wish to go to the Super Bowl yet again, they need to keep Mahomes upright long enough to trust his body again. With their new offensive line and revamped run game taking pressure off him early, the Chiefs’ championship window stays wide open for the sixth time under Mahomes’ leadership.