One of the biggest storylines entering the NFL season is the return of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who is currently rehabbing from knee surgery.
Mahomes’ injury was the final straw in a miserable year for the Chiefs, as Kansas City went 6-11 and missed the playoffs. The Chiefs are hoping to turn the page and return to their winning ways in 2026, but in order to do that, they will need Mahomes back on the field.
In preparation for Mahomes’ potential absence, Kansas City acquired Justin Fields from the New York Jets as Mahomes’ backup and a potential short-term starter. Of course, the Chiefs would prefer Mahomes to start every game in 2026, but that will depend on the quarterback’s rehab process.
Here’s a look at how much time Mahomes could miss.
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How long is Patrick Mahomes out?
Mahomes had surgery on his torn ACL and. LCL on December 15, allowing him to begin rehab as soon as possible. Typically, this kind of injury requires around a nine-month rehab, but that largely depends on how the recovery process goes for the player.
“Every player is different. Every sport is different. Every position is different,” Chiefs vice president of sports medicine and performance Rick Burkholder said in December. “(Mahomes) is so in tune to what he does, he does it a little quicker. Ballpark on this is nine months, but it could be a month or two more, a month or two less.”
The biggest question regarding Mahomes’ return could come down to how comfortable he is with his surgically repaired knee. While Mahomes’ knee could be fully healed by Week 1, Mahomes may still be trying to improve the strength in his knee, which could delay his timeline.
When will Patrick Mahomes return?
A nine-month rehab would put Mahomes’ return right against the start of the 2026 NFL season, which is slated to begin on Thursday, September 10. As the Chiefs are likely to play on Sunday of Week 1, that puts Kansas City’s first game potentially on September 13.
If Mahomes’ recovery process is delayed, he could return closer to the middle of the regular season with Kansas City opting to take it slow. On the flip side, Mahomes could also be back ahead of schedule, which could mean he plays a few snaps in preseason if he’s healthy enough.
It will all depend on Mahomes’ rehab, but the fact that he plays quarterback should help him get back on the field sooner rather than later.
Patrick Mahomes ACL injury
On December 14th against the Chargers, Patrick MAhomes suffered a torn ACL and LCL, ending his 2025 season and potentially impacting his status for 2026.
Patrick Mahomes went down with an apparent knee injury and had to be helped to the locker room 🤕
Prayers up for the Chiefs QB 🙏pic.twitter.com/HMtiJRc5Gs
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 14, 2025
Mahomes is down and holding his left knee in pain pic.twitter.com/3FQMnWl4f5
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) December 14, 2025
Mahomes had an MRI to confirm the injury the following day, and not long after went in for surgery. As Mahomes had surgery almost immediately after suffering the injury, it allowed him to start the rehab process as quickly as possible.
Injury Update on QB Patrick Mahomes:
Patrick Mahomes successfully underwent surgery in Dallas this evening with Dr. Dan Cooper to repair the tear in his left ACL. Mahomes will begin his rehab process immediately.
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) December 16, 2025
Chiefs QB depth chart
| Rank | Player |
| 1. | Patrick Mahomes |
| 2. | Justin Fields |
| 3. | Chris Oladokun |
| 4. | Jake Haener |
1. Patrick Mahomes
As long as he’s healthy, Mahomes will be the Chiefs’ unquestioned starter. However, it’s possible Mahomes has to miss the start of the game as he still recovers from his knee injury, which puts the rest of the depth chart in the spotlight to hold things down until he returns.
2. Justin Fields
Fields is now the Chiefs’ backup, giving the veteran a chance to learn from two of the best in the NFL. Fields not only gets to sit in the same quarterback room as Mahomes, but he also will get coached by future Hall-of-Famer and three-time Super Bowl champion Andy Reid.
3. Chris Oladokun
Oladokun got his first real NFL action in 2025, starting the Chiefs’ final two games of the season in place of Mahomes and Gardner Minshew. Kansas City lost both those games, but Olodokun proved to be a quality depth arm with 235 passing yards and a 63.5 completion percentage in those games.
4. Jake Haener
A former New Orleans Saints fourth-round pick, Haener joined the Chiefs in the offseason on a reserve/future contract. Haener’s only NFL action came in 2024, when he was the Saints’ backup and played in eight games, including one start, totaling 226 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception.
