Major New Update Emerges on Patrick Mahomes' Recovery Timeline

One of the most debated topics of the NFL offseason is whether or not Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes will be ready for the team's season opener after suffering a torn ACL near the end of last season.

The 9-12 month recovery timeline for athletes to recover from ACL surgery has many skeptical that Mahomes will be cleared by KC's season opener against the Denver Broncos on Sept. 14 after having surgery in December.

But according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, both Mahomes and the Chiefs aren't ruling out the possibility the two-time MVP will be under center in Week 1.

"Running and cutting - I'm told that's going to be a focal point for Patrick Mahomes over the next few weeks and months as he tries to get his mobility back," Fowler stated. "He was going 7-on-7 work with the Chiefs. His hope is to get into 11-man work and be cleared for contact eventually.

"He would like to get a dress rehearsal run in preseason action if he can. The team and Mahomes are both leaning into this Week 1 possibility. They are not at all shying away from it. I don't think it's lip service. He still has to progress like coach Reid said, but he'd giving himself a chance to be there to take that first snap."

Mahomes has maintained all along that he doesn’t expect to miss any time in 2026, but the Chiefs acknowledging he at least could be ready by Week 1 could signal the three-time Super Bowl champion is ahead of schedule with his recovery.

Returning earlier than expected post-ACL injury isn't unheard of in the NFL.

Back in 2012, then-Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson came back 10 months after he tore his ACL and had the best season of his career, rushing for 2,097 yards - the second-most single-season rushing yards in NFL history - with 12 touchdowns, 40 receptions, 217 yards receiving, and another score.

So if Mahomes has a Peterson-like recovery, it's possible he could be on the field much sooner than anyone initially believed was possible.

If he's not ready, the Chiefs added some insurance this offseason, trading for former first-round pick Justin Fields and drafting former LSU star Garrett Nussmeier in the 2026 NFL draft.

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This story was originally published June 11, 2026 at 4:31 PM.