When the NFL announced its 2026 season schedule, the league’s decision to put the Kansas City Chiefs in primetime games for the first two weeks raised some eyebrows. Some believe that the league was hinting at Patrick Mahomes’ recovery to play in Week 1 after he tore his ACL and LCL, while others argued that the league was favoring Mahomes by giving the Chiefs home-game advantage in the first two weeks before they hit the road.
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Dallas Cowboys legend Michael Irvin seems to be on the latter side. Irvin recently accused the NFL of deliberately giving the Chiefs their first two home matchups because of Mahomes only.
“The Chiefs open up the first two games at home,” said Irvin. “I guarantee you they did that for Patrick Mahomes. I guarantee they want to get him back up and going and get him right, and they said, ‘We’ll let you play the first couple games at home so you get confidence before you have to go on the road or anything like that.'”
The Chiefs opened their 2026 season with a primetime matchup against the Denver Broncos at Arrowhead. In Week 1, Kansas City defeated Denver 31-10. Mahomes, meanwhile, completed 15-of-27 for 184 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Now, Kansas City will host the Indianapolis Colts during Sunday Night Football in Week 2 before hitting the road.
Irvin, however, believes that Mahomes’ recovery from his injury was the reason the Chiefs got their first two games of the season at Arrowhead. Mahomes was coming back from the ACL/LCL injury that ended his 2025 season, and he had undergone surgery on December 15.
By July, Mahomes was still describing Week 1 as his goal, while acknowledging that his return depended on medical clearance. At the same time, however, NFL executive Hans Schroeder explicitly said the league didn’t know anything more about Mahomes’ recovery than the public did when the schedule was made.
“The Chiefs are an incredible story,” Schroeder said. “They’re one of the most popular teams in the league right now. They’ve been on an incredibly successful run for a number of years now, and have built a hugely popular fan base. We went into the year planning to play the Chiefs in the same number of windows.
“We didn’t know anything more than then you did, but we’re certainly hoping Patrick would be back Week 1. … We felt really good about it and certainly feel better after seeing Andy’s comments this morning with how Patrick’s rehab’s going.”
Meanwhile, it’s not the first time the Chiefs are opening their season with their first two games at Arrowhead. In fact, Kansas City opened the 2024 season with a Week 1 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens followed by the Week 2 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, both at Arrowhead Stadium.
However, Irvin believes there is one more reason why this season carries significant weight for the Chiefs and why the NFL gave them the advantage of opening with their first two games at home: Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s wedding.
“I guarantee you, especially since the nuptials with this ring. Because now, you’re going to get Ms. Swift (Taylor Swift), Ms. Kelce, Ms. Taylor Swift Kelce at more games, and the NFL wanted to help him out with the first couple of home games before we have to put this show on the road for Kansas City. And it looks like Kansas City will be having a show,” Irvin added.
Kelce and Swift tied the knot earlier this year at Madison Square Garden before the tight end began his 14th season with the Chiefs. For now, though, whether the NFL intentionally gave Kansas City a softer opening because of Mahomes remains unproven, with league officials denying they had special information about his recovery.