Can the Chiefs Superstar QB Bounce Back From a Major Knee Injury in 2026?
They always say to never ask if things could possibly get worse. Last year, Patrick Mahomes II and his Kansas City Chiefs asked that question as they fell from a dynasty that became the first team to reach five Super Bowls in six seasons to a team that was 6-8 and staring down the barrel of elimination. Their question was answered. During Week 15, with 1:53 left in the fourth quarter, Mahomes escaped the pocket with Los Angeles Chargers defensive lineman Da’Shawn Hand in pursuit. As Mahomes released the ball to throw it away, Hand wrapped his arms around Mahomes’ legs, and his knee buckled as he fell to the Arrowhead grass. He tore his ACL. In a single moment, his season was over, and the Chiefs’ playoff hopes were laid to rest on the field.
With an injury that severe, Mahomes is looking at a recovery that can take anywhere from eight months to a year to complete, but over his career, he’s almost become an expert at overcoming injuries. In 2019, Mahomes dislocated his patella in a Week Seven victory over the Denver Broncos, but came back after just two games and led his team to a Super Bowl win that year. In 2020, he suffered a turf toe injury in the Divisional Round against the Cleveland Browns, but still led Kansas City to a second consecutive Super Bowl appearance. In 2022, a high-ankle sprain in another Divisional Round showdown with the Jacksonville Jaguars temporarily sidelined him, yet he returned in the second half to help the Chiefs win the game and eventually, another Super Bowl. In short, if there is anyone who can recover from an injury of this magnitude, it’s Patrick Mahomes.
Still, though, Mahomes has never suffered an injury like this before, so nothing is for certain. Although many other quarterbacks have suffered torn ACLs before. New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady tore his ACL in 2008, ironically against the Chiefs, and didn’t lose a step, playing another 14 seasons and adding four more rings to his collection. Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray had his season end with that injury in 2022 and returned to the field after 11 months of recovery, playing at a similar caliber as he always has. Robert Griffin III, quarterback for the Washington Redskins, went down during the 2012 playoffs, and his career never rebounded. He continued to suffer more injuries and never played a full season. Recovery can be unpredictable, and the same goes for how Mahomes will be when he returns to the field.
No one knows how this injury will affect him, and nobody will have an answer to their questions until next season. The Chiefs appear to be well aware of this uncertainty, as they traded for New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields just a few days ago. One thing is guaranteed, though, no matter what caliber of quarterback Mahomes is once he comes back, he will leave behind a legacy that few quarterbacks in NFL history could match. Three Lombardi Trophies, two MVP Awards, he has nothing left to prove; except maybe one more thing. That has the strength and resolve to come back from one of the most devastating injuries an athlete can suffer.
