Patrick Mahomes dealt unfortunate news before 10th NFL season

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ayomide Adeduyite | Last updated Jun 27, 2026 2:51 PM ET

The Kansas City Chiefs head into the 2026 season with plenty to prove after one of the worst years of the Andy Reid era.

Kansas City finished 6-11 in 2025, its first losing season since 2012, missed the playoffs for the first time in Patrick Mahomes’ career as a starter and failed to win the AFC West after nine years of division control.

It was a sharp fall for a team that had spent the previous several seasons setting the standard in the conference, and it has left the Chiefs entering training camp with obvious motivation to reestablish themselves as contenders.

Mahomes’ season was interrupted late by the most significant setback of his NFL career. He suffered torn ACL and LCL injuries in December against the Los Angeles Chargers and missed the final stretch of the season as Kansas City closed out a disappointing year.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) speaks to media after training camp at Missouri Western State University. Denny Medley-Imagn Images

As a result of that down year, Mahomes is set to miss out on one of the NFL calendar’s more visible honors again. ESPN announced nominees for the 2026 ESPYS this week, and Mahomes was not among the candidates.

It marks the second straight year he has been left off the ballot after also missing out in 2025.

Nominees for the 2026 @ESPYS Presented by Capital One have been announced!

Find out who will win July 15 | 8p ET | ABC, ESPN App
️ Hosted by Marcello Hernández

Complete list of nominees: https://t.co/78J1bPb0kb pic.twitter.com/yHh3xoEKbU
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) June 25, 2026

Mahomes had been a regular ESPYS presence before the last two years. The two-time league MVP was nominated for Best NFL Player in 2019, 2021, 2023 and 2024, and he also received broader Best Male Athlete or Best Athlete, Men’s Sports recognition during that run. His biggest recent ESPYS night came in 2024, when he won Best NFL Player and Best Athlete, Men’s Sports after leading the Chiefs to another Super Bowl title.

Before the injury, Mahomes played 14 games and 3,587 yards and 22 touchdowns, his lowest statline since becoming a full-time starter in 2018.

Kansas City will get its chance to change the conversation soon enough. Chiefs training camp begins at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, with quarterbacks and rookies reporting July 24 before full team practices begin on July 29.

The Chiefs open the 2026 regular season at home against the Denver Broncos on Sept. 14, and there’s growing optimism that Mahomes could be ready to go in Week 1.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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