Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is aiming for a surprising Week 1 return to football as he looks to recover from a torn ACL.
Mahomes suffered the injury in a game against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chiefs lost the contest and were subsequently eliminated from the playoffs.
While the 30-year-old quarterback has already undergone surgery to repair his knee, he is also targeted a return to the game much sooner than is expected.
Mahomes said that his rehab is going well and that doctors are forcing him to hold back from pushing harder in his recovery., according to NFL Network’s Omar Ruiz.
The report adds that Mahomes is aiming to ‘get ready for week 1 & play without restrictions.’
While Mahomes’ doctors admit that this is possible, they also say the Texas native has ‘a long way to go’ in his recovery.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is pushing his recovery and aiming for a Week 1 return
Mahomes’ season ended after tearing his ACL in a game against the Los Angeles Chargers
If Mahomes is able to come back from injury by Week 1, it would be a truly remarkable recovery for a player who known for the use of his legs.
Mobile quarterbacks have recently shown the need for long recoveries from ACL tears. Those that do have not necessarily returned to their previous form.
For example, Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray needed nearly a year to come back from a knee injury he sustained late in the 2022 season.
Since then, barring a fully healthy 2024 season, Murray has struggled to stay on the field as injuries have continued to pile up for him.
That is not to say the same fate will befall Mahomes. Rather, it’s a cautionary tale that players may not be the same after such a serious procedure.
Mahomes just finished the fourth season of his ten-year, $450million contract extension. Next year, his cap hit jumps from $28m to over $78m.
