Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes shares honest admission about possibly making Week 1 return

Multiple reports shared throughout May have indicated that Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is on track to return from the torn ACL and torn LCL he suffered this past December in time to play in Kansas City's season-opening "Monday Night Football" home game versus the rival Denver Broncos on Sept. 14. 

While Mahomes is participating in 7-on-7 work during OTAs, he acknowledged on Thursday that he can't yet guarantee anything about his status for the Week 1 matchup against Denver. 

Patrick Mahomes: Predicting Week 1 status is "still a long ways away"

"That’s always going to be the goal," Mahomes said during his Thursday news conference about possibly facing the Broncos, per Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. "I don’t want to miss games. I mean, as a competitor, as a football player, I want to be there. I know it’s still a long ways away. I can’t predict the future. So, all I can do is be great today and then continue to be great tomorrow. But I’ve gotten to where I’ve gotten to because of that mindset. The goal at the end — the very far end — is to be ready and to able to go out there and play with the guys Week 1 at Arrowhead. But I’ve got to take it day by day."

Mahomes began targeting a 2026 Week 1 return shortly after he underwent successful surgery ahead of Christmas 2025. More recently, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said earlier this month that Mahomes was "way ahead of schedule" in his recovery.

On Thursday, head coach Andy Reid insisted that he and the Chiefs will continue to listen to doctors as it pertains to Mahomes' ongoing progress. Mahomes vowed that he will continue to do whatever "gives me the chance to be out there with the guys whenever we start the season," but he also seems to understand he'll have to check off plenty of boxes before he's cleared to fully resume midweek football activities ahead of any game. 

Patrick Mahomes ready to prove he'll be good to go one step at a time

"Until I’m able to protect myself and go out there and be there, they’re going to keep me safe and not let me have the opportunity — as much as I want to be out there," Mahomes added during his comments about his eventual return to the lineup. "But I think if I can continue to do the stuff the right way, that’s the hope, for me at least. All I can do is execute this next checkpoint of getting that cutting, being able to protect myself. … Then they’ll let me go out there and be a part of the team drills. And that’ll progress into games."  

Of course, it's far too early for anyone to guess how Mahomes will and/or won't feel three months from the time he spoke on Thursday. Considering how far he has already come, however, one would think that the Broncos should be prepared to see the three-time Super Bowl MVP on the field for the Week 1 prime-time showdown.