Patrick Mahomes Tears ACL as Chiefs’ Playoff Streak Snaps

The Scene at Arrowhead

It happened in the final two minutes of regulation. With the Chiefs trailing and desperation setting in, Mahomes scrambled to spark a late comeback, a scenario NFL fans have seen him navigate successfully dozens of times. But this time, the magic ran out.

Mahomes appeared to hyperextend his left knee on the play. He remained on the turf for several minutes, a sight that sucked the energy out of Arrowhead Stadium. Teammates knelt nearby in visible distress before Mahomes was eventually helped to the locker room. It was a somber conclusion to a season that had already been defined by uncharacteristic struggles.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid was grim in his postgame assessment, admitting the injury did not look good. His instincts were correct. The team announced shortly after that Mahomes and the club are currently exploring surgical options to repair the damage.

A Season to Forget

Before Sunday, Mahomes had largely avoided catastrophic injuries throughout his decorated NFL career. At 30 years old, he has been the iron man behind one of the most dominant runs in league history. However, the 2025 season has been a different story.

Even before the injury, Mahomes was in the midst of the most difficult statistical season of his career. He left Sunday’s game with a 6-8 record, a far cry from the 15-2 mark the team posted just a year prior in 2024. His completion percentage sat at a career-low 63.1 percent, and his quarterback rating was the second-worst of his tenure as a starter.

The injury is the final nail in the coffin for Kansas City’s 2025 ambitions. The loss to the Chargers officially eliminated the Chiefs from playoff contention. This marks the first time since 2014 that Kansas City will not play in the postseason, snapping a streak of 10 consecutive playoff berths that stood as the second-longest in NFL history. It also ends a remarkable run where Mahomes had led the team to the AFC Championship Game in every season he started.

What This Means for Mahomes

The road to recovery for a torn ACL is long and grueling, typically requiring nine to twelve months of rehabilitation. For a quarterback who relies heavily on mobility, escapability, and off-platform throws, the rehab process is critical.

Mahomes is currently in the sixth year of his massive 10-year, $450 million contract. While he remains the face of the NFL, returning from major knee surgery on the wrong side of 30 presents a new challenge.

Despite the setback, the three-time Super Bowl champion remains defiant. In a message sent to fans shortly after the diagnosis, Mahomes promised to return stronger than ever. His track record suggests he will attack rehab with the same intensity he brings to the field, but the reality of biology and physics means the Chiefs will have to hold their breath until he takes his first snap in 2026.

The Future in Kansas City

For the remainder of this lost season, the Chiefs will turn to backup quarterback Gardner Minshew. Minshew stepped in during the final moments of Sunday’s loss, throwing a game-ending interception that sealed the team’s fate. He will now be tasked with guiding the ship for the final few games, likely serving as an audition for his own future in the league rather than a meaningful competitive push for Kansas City.

The bigger questions loom over the offseason. The Chiefs roster, which has been the envy of the league for nearly a decade, clearly has holes that were exposed throughout this 6-8 campaign. The front office must now build a team that can not only compete but also protect an aging quarterback coming off major reconstructive surgery.

The injury to Mahomes serves as a harsh reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in the NFL. For seven years, the Chiefs seemed invincible, with Mahomes serving as the ultimate eraser of mistakes. Now, the organization faces its most significant adversity in the Andy Reid era. The dynasty is not necessarily dead, but it is certainly wounded. How Mahomes heals, and how the team responds, will define the next chapter of Kansas City football.