Patrick Mahomes was seemingly not feeling the Christmas joy as the downcast quarterback was spotted watching his teammates from afar on Thursday.
The signal caller made a return to Arrowhead Stadium on Christmas Day when the Kansas City Chiefs took to the field against the Denver Broncos for a festive divisional showdown.
However, the three-time Super Bowl winner found himself in an unfamiliar setting when he watched on from a VIP suite, rather than the field.
Mahomes would have ordinarily been suiting up alongside Travis Kelce and co on the holiday but his season came to a crushing early end on December 14 when he suffered a multi-ligament knee injury against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Yet, just under two weeks since he underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL and LCL, Mahomes showed up to support his teammates – despite his own misery.
The quarterback was spotted looking glum as he took in the showdown against the Broncos from one of Arrowhead’s luxury boxes.
Patrick Mahomes was spotted watching his Kansas City Chiefs teammates on Christmas
The injured quarterback appeared downcast in a VIP suite at Arrowhead Stadium
Despite not donning his uniform, Mahomes still sported Kansas City red in a t-shirt with the Chiefs logo emblazoned on the front.
He finished off the outfit with a light-weight cream jacket and matching baseball cap, which he wore backwards to compliment the casual look.
Without Mahomes under center, the Chiefs slumped to a 20-13 defeat to the Broncos, dampening the festive spirit.
Andy Reid’s team was without backup quarterback Gardner Minshew as well as Mahomes, with the pair tearing ligaments in their knees in back-to-back weeks.
Mahomes suffered the left knee injury as Kansas City’s hopes of reaching the playoffs went up in smoke with a 16-13 loss to the Chargers earlier this month.
It proved a disastrous afternoon all round for Andy Reid’s team, with the typical nine-to-12-month recovery timeline leaving Mahomes with a race against time to be fit for the start of the 2026 season.
Yet after having his surgery in less than 24 hours – which is common for LCL tears despite fans expressing their concern over operating before swelling is reduced – he was already making astonishing progress in his recovery this week.
According to Fox Sports reporter Jay Glazer, Mahomes is already capable of a 90-degree bend in his injured left knee, something which is usually achieved 1-2 weeks post-op.
Mahomes kept it casual in a red Chiefs t-shirt, cream jacket and a backwards baseball cap
The Chiefs ultimately slumped to a 20-13 defeat to the AFC West-leading Denver Broncos
The Chiefs quarterback suffered a torn ACL and LCL in their loss to the Chargers this month
Having jetted back to Kansas City last week, the three-time Super Bowl winner started his rehabilitation program at the Chiefs facility on Saturday.
‘They’re saying it’s a nine-month recovery, Patrick Mahomes though we know is different. He’s gonna attack this,’ Glazer added.
The 2026 NFL season is expected to kick off on September 10, and the Chiefs could play their first game a few days later.
Rick Burkholder, Kansas City’s vice president of sports medicine and performance, said that the procedure performed by Dr. Dan Cooper went well and, as a result, the team is optimistic he could return early next season.
‘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 little quicker.
‘Ballpark on this is nine months, but it could be a month or two more, a month or two less.’
