Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has begun rehab following surgery to repair two torn ligaments in his left knee, and the team is optimistic the two-time MVP could be back early next season — perhaps even by the time Kansas City plays Week 1.
Rick Burkholder, their vice president of sports medicine and performance, said Wednesday the procedure performed in Dallas by Dr. Dan Cooper on Monday night went well. The operation happened about 24 hours after Mahomes tore his ACL and LCL in a loss to the Chargers.
The recovery time for such an injury is about nine months, though it could vary by several months depending on various factors. Next season is expected to kick off on September 10, 2026, and the Chiefs could play their first game a few days later.
“Every player is different. Every sport is different. Every position is different,” Burkholder said. “[Mahomes] is so in tune to what he does, he does it a bit of faster. Ballpark on that is 9 months, nevertheless it might be a month or two extra, a month or two much less.”
The loss to the Chargers eradicated the Chiefs from postseason rivalry, ending that streak at a decade. They’d additionally gained the previous 9 AFC West titles, reached the earlier seven convention championship video games and performed prior to now three Tremendous Bowls.
Now, backup Gardner Minshew will quarterback them by way of the ultimate three video games starting Sunday at Tennessee.
“Fast turnaround from a really emotional recreation, and clearly the state of affairs with Pat, the state of affairs with our crew’s playoff image,” he mentioned. “However you understand what? You’re the place you are at. We’ve to show this round and get a win this weekend.”
The Chiefs might be lacking a number of massive names past their star quarterback.
Rashee Rice and fellow vast receiver Tyquan Thornton are within the concussion protocol after taking vicious hits within the recreation towards Los Angeles, whereas left sort out Jaylon Moore stays out with a knee damage and proper sort out Jawaan Taylor is out with an elbow difficulty.
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On protection, cornerback Trent McDuffie continues to be coping with a knee damage and linebacker Leo Chenal with a shoulder downside.
None of these gamers practiced Wednesday.
“We’ll see how they roll timewise for the sport,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid mentioned.
As for Mahomes, he plans to return to Kansas Metropolis by Friday, the place he’ll proceed rehabbing with Burkholder’s employees. Main the hassle might be Julie Frymyer, his assistant coach and high bodily therapist, whose title made headlines through the 2022-23 playoffs for her position in serving to Mahomes overcome a extreme high-ankle sprain with out having to overlook a recreation.
Frymyer was even featured alongside Mahomes not too long ago in a State Farm insurance coverage business.
“I feel you guys know, as a participant, his mindset is a bit of totally different than most,” Burkholder mentioned. “He is so regimented in what he does. He is in right here at 6 a.m. He is the final man out at evening. He’ll take the rehab like that. If you add up all of the little issues, that enables the participant to get again sooner. They do not heal up sooner, they only get again to efficiency sooner.”
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Reid mentioned he is spoken day by day with Mahomes for the reason that damage within the closing minutes of Sunday’s recreation.
“He is so optimistic proper now,” Reid mentioned. “Like Rick mentioned, he attacked this factor the day of. You would not anticipate something much less. ‘Get me up, get me going,’ he is principally saying, an hour after the sport. ‘Brace me up and let me go.’ It isn’t a kind of accidents, clearly, however that is his mindset. I feel he’ll do nice with the rehab. He is a fairly quick healer that manner. And his angle is 90% of issues, the way you go about it. The way you’re keen to push by way of the ache to get proper.”
Minshew acknowledged a wierd feeling strolling by way of the crew facility with out Mahomes this week. However the two QBs have been in contact, and the veteran of 46 begins throughout seven NFL seasons is trying ahead to Mahomes’ enter the remainder of the way in which.
“He is been nice, man. Quickly as he is been figuring issues out, he is been texting the QB room,” Minshew mentioned. “Very optimistic. Making an attempt to get us fired up. That dude nonetheless needs us to win. That is what he cares about.”
Reporting by The Related Press.
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