Patrick Mahomes Declares Leg Injury Questions Behind Him as Chiefs Target Week 1 Start
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is signaling he is fully ready to turn the page on his offseason rehabilitation. With the regular season approaching, the three-time Super Bowl champion told reporters Thursday he wants to move past inquiries regarding his left knee recovery.
“Hopefully I’m done with the questions about the leg,”
Mahomes said during his media availability.
Injury Timeline and Rehabilitation Target
The quarterback suffered tears to the ACL and LCL ligaments in his left knee during the team’s December matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. The severity of the injury initially cast doubt on his availability for the start of the 2024 season. However, following successful surgery, Mahomes was cleared to return to practice in July.
From the outset, Mahomes circled Week 1 as his primary return target. In August, he detailed the medical timeline that guided his rehab process.
“It’s nine months. It’s the amount of time [doctors] said from the beginning, that if I did everything the right way, I would be ready to play Week One. I’m someone that, if you put [a goal] out in front of me, I want to go out and get it and maximize every single opportunity, every rep in the weight room, every hour that I can spend in the building to get my body right. This has always been the plan. From the day I got the surgery, as quick as I did, to hopefully the first game of the year, the plan will go accordingly, and I’ll be able to go out there and be myself.”
Andy Reid Confirms Strong Likelihood of Week 1 Start
Head coach Andy Reid reinforced the optimism surrounding Mahomes’ status for the season opener against the Denver Broncos.
“As far as our roster goes, there’s a very good chance that Patrick will go ahead and start unless something were to come up here in the next couple days,”
Reid told reporters.
“Most likely he’ll be the guy that’s out there.”
Chiefs Focus on Championship Repeat
With their offensive centerpiece trending toward a full-go for the opener, Kansas City aims to eliminate any lingering uncertainty. The organization enters the new campaign with its sights set on competing for another NFL championship.
