Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid announced on Tuesday that there is a “very good chance” that quarterback Patrick Mahomes will suit up against the Denver Broncos. But Big Red added a critical stipulation: “unless something were to come up here in the next couple days.” With the season opener just around the corner, the clock is ticking, and tight end Travis Kelce gives a rather honest preview into the QB’s return.
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“I’m not going to tell you what I’m seeing in practice, but what I’ve seen is a guy do everything he possibly can to be ready for Week 1. What he’s done to get to this point is second to none. And you saw that switch flip when he had the surgery, how he was going to be determined to get healthy for the season,” said Travis Kelce on the New Heights Podcast alongside Jason Kelce.
“We’re excited that he’s going to be out there rocking with us on Week 1, in terms of his ability to move around and stuff like that. He’s a competitor, man. And he only knows one way to play the game. When that ball snaps, I expect to just see Patty Mahomes out there playing football.”
While the other analysts are debating Mahomes’ physical limitations, the tight end’s comments showed optimism surrounding his return from major knee surgery.
Kelce witnessed Mahomes’ relentless drive firsthand, noticing that he was obsessively preparing to dominate on the field again. Seeing his quarterback outwork everyone else ultimately convinced Kelce to put his own retirement plans on hold to help lead a Kansas City resurgence.
Mahomes suffered from a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee during Kansas City’s loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on December 14 and underwent surgery the following day. He has since participated in every practice during training camp but has not appeared in the preseason.
“He’s shown everything there,” Reid said Tuesday via NFL.com. “He hasn’t missed a day. You guys have seen him out there, so you know what it looks like him running around and doing his stuff. Other than having a brace on his leg, everything looks normal. He’s running around the same way he’s always done and throwing the ball like he’s always done. I think we’ll be fine there.”
The Chiefs’ coach updated that the rehabilitation has remained on schedule, and Mahomes has not missed a practice. Aside from wearing a brace, his movement and throwing have looked normal. That progress has allowed the Chiefs to maintain their expectations that their franchise QB will return for the opener.
No surprise the Kansas City Chiefs need their star QB on the field, as after Mahomes went down last year, the Chiefs lost their final three games and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2014. His absence carries consequences beyond statistics, especially for an offense that has been dependent on his ability throughout the Andy Reid era.
For now, the Chiefs are prepared to trust the process that began immediately after their QB’s injury. Reid has made his decision, Kelce has seen enough to believe, and Mahomes has spent months preparing for this moment.
The final test, however, arrives when the ball is snapped, and Mahomes has to prove the comeback is complete.