Patrick Mahomes' Road to Recovery: What's Next?

Patrick Mahomes, the star quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs, is out for the season after knee surgery. This is a big deal, not just for the Chiefs but for the whole NFL. The league is facing its first postseason in years without Mahomes, Tom Brady, or Peyton Manning. The Chiefs' head coach, Andy Reid, talked about how much the team loves having Mahomes around. He said that everyone feels for Mahomes, but the team has to move on. Gardner Minshew, the new starter, now has a chance to step up. Reid mentioned that Minshew has experience and that the team trusts him. Rick Burkholder, the vice president of sports medicine and performance for the Chiefs, shared some important updates about Mahomes' injury and recovery. He clarified that there was no disagreement between Mahomes and the team's medical staff about the first steps after the injury. Mahomes got an MRI right after the game, and the team agreed that Dr. Dan Cooper in Dallas would handle the second opinion. Cooper examined Mahomes on Monday and operated that same night.Burkholder also revealed that the team knew about the ACL tear on Sunday night, but the LCL damage wasn't confirmed until after the surgery on Monday. He explained that the LCL injury was the reason for the quick surgery. Normally, knee-repair surgeries take place at least 48 hours after the injury, but Cooper moved quickly to reattach the avulsion injury in the LCL. Mahomes will start his rehabilitation in Dallas but will return to Kansas City on Friday. Burkholder said that Mahomes trusts the team's assistant athletic trainer, Julie Frymyer, who has overseen his recovery from previous injuries. Burkholder also mentioned that Cooper's expertise and advanced techniques could allow Mahomes to return earlier than expected. The timeline for an ACL injury like Mahomes' is usually around nine months. Mahomes got hurt on December 14, which is exactly nine months before the start of the 2026 NFL season. Burkholder said that the exact timeline could vary, but Mahomes' prognosis is as good as it can be. Right now, the focus is on reducing swelling and getting his muscles fired up again.