With the odds stacked against him, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback and three-time Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes is doing everything he can to ensure he is under center for the start of the 2026 regular season.
Brett Veach Discusses Patrick Mahomes’ Rehab Progress
Mahomes is currently recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament and lateral collateral ligament in his left knee. The injury occurred during a Dec. 14, 2025, loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
It was a whirlwind day for the Chiefs, who were eliminated from playoff contention for the first time in Mahomes’ tenure as a starter. It was also the team’s second postseason elimination since Andy Reid took over as head coach in 2013.
Speaking to Peter Schrager on “The Schrager Hour” from the NFL Annual Meetings in Phoenix, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said he does not have a specific timeline for Mahomes’ availability. However, the two-time league MVP is attacking the rehab process “full throttle.”
“The cool thing about Pat is he’s really doing 90% of his rehab in the facility,” Veach said. “He’s in there when we get in at 6 or 7, grab lunch, hop down to the training room at 1 or 2, and he’s still there.”
Mahomes had surgery performed by Dr. Dan Cooper, a prominent orthopedic surgeon and head team physician for the Dallas Cowboys. The 30-year-old quarterback has frequently traveled between Kansas City and Dallas, but even when he heads south to Texas, Veach revealed that Mahomes brings one of the Chiefs’ trainers with him.
The around-the-clock rehabilitation schedule could prove favorable for Mahomes if he intends to be on the field for Week 1. “It’s not one of those things where I have to check in; I see him every day,” Veach said.
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“We were texting earlier today about some league stuff, some draft stuff. He asked when I was getting back. He wanted to get together and talk. He’s always around. He’s just a gem of a person. He’s so unique; he’s a unicorn.”
The 2025 campaign was essentially a season to forget for the Chiefs. By the time Mahomes suffered his injury, the Chiefs were 6-8 and barely staying afloat in the AFC playoff race.
Mahomes completed 62.7% of his passes for 3,587 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions, resulting in a passer rating of 89.6. His completion percentage, yards, and touchdowns were all career lows since he became the starter in 2018.
The Chiefs finished the season with Gardner Minshew II appearing in two games before also sustaining a knee injury. Chris Oladokun started the remaining two games at quarterback. The underwhelming campaign saw Mahomes rank No. 17 in PFSN’s QB Impact metric with a grade of 77.2.
