Ever since Patrick Mahomes went down with a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee in the Kansas City Chiefs’ 16-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, Chiefs fans have been eagerly following news related to Mahomes’ road to recovery.
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An expert eyewitness has provided what the Chiefs Kingdom would consider great news as the countdown to the 2026 season winds down. Former Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu, who attended the Chiefs training sessions this past week, spoke about what he saw of Mahomes training.
“I wasn’t expecting him to be like training camp ready,” he said on his podcast. “Definitely wasn’t expecting him to be ready week one. Even going up there this past week and hanging out with the coaches and trainers and stuff. He has no injury tag. He’s bouncing around. He’s hopping around, talking trash. Like he’s the same old Patrick.”
Mathieu himself suffered a similar injury on his right knee back in December 2013. He too made his comeback in Week 1 the following season. Asked if he felt Mahomes could achieve a similar feat, the former safety who played alongside the QB for three years and won one Super Bowl gave a delicious insight for Chiefs fans.
“He’s out there now a hundred percent,” Mathieu added his observations from training and said, “ Coach [Andy] Reid is calling like option plays and speed options. Like he’s calling those plays so he can get him ready.”
Mahomes’ injury came with less than two minutes on the clock in the Week 15 clash with Division rival Chargers, while the Chiefs’ hopes of making the playoffs came crashing down, hurting them even more. Having lost the Super Bowl in 2025, and not making the playoffs last season, bouncing back from injury could build into the perfect crescendo for the Chiefs, according to Mathieu.
“ I think they’re getting a really, really motivated Patrick Mahomes,” said Mathieu. “He probably hasn’t been this motivated since 2018 when Brady knocked him out of the playoffs.”
Mahomes had begun practicing throwing by the time he marked 100 days of the injury. Some felt he was pushing himself too much, but Mahomes was leaving no stone unturned. According to general manager Brett Veach, whenever the quarterback had to travel, he took one of the Chiefs’ trainers with him.
Ahead of the OTAs, the team said that they would ease Mahomes into the full rhythm of things with time. In training camp, the quarterback now looks like his old self.
“All I heard was Mahomes’ voice,” insider Ian Rapoport said on the Rich Eisen Show. “Full silence on the field, except for Patrick Mahomes calling signals and directing players. … He looked so good. I mean, I can’t overstate how normal he looked.”
While Mathieu is sure Mahomes will start for the Chiefs against the Denver Broncos at Arrowhead on September 14th, head coach Andy Reid is still taking a cautionary approach.
Mahomes and Reid on the same page
Perhaps to safeguard Mahomes before the season begins, Reid made a decision on his QB’s status for the preseason game vs the Los Angeles Chargers.
“Pat won’t start,” said Reid while speaking to the press on Thursday. “He won’t play.”
Reid said that for the game against the Rams, he will rotate Justin Fields, rookie Garrett Nussmeier, and veteran Chris Oladokun in that order to test how strong their quarterback depth really is.
Mahomes himself was asked by the press on Saturday what he thought.
“I’m for whatever coach says,” Mahomes said on Saturday, “I’m gonna prepare to play. He hasn’t told me anything, so I’ll prepare to play and prepare to get myself ready, and we’ll see where we go from there. And if not, I’ll be as locked in as I am during the game, and I’m trying to get myself as ready to go for the game. So it’s a process of trying to make sure you’re ready for the season, and whatever coach thinks best, I’ll do.”
Mahomes did say that he is feeling better, but he is holding himself back to an extent because he doesn’t want to do things that he would usually do and strain himself. According to the quarterback, he knows he is feeling good to go, but he doesn’t want to overdo it.