Patrick Mahomes is back, baby! Less than nine months after tearing his ACL, the superstar Chiefs quarterback is set to start Week 1 on Monday Night Football against the Broncos. This is huge, right? The guy who hasn’t failed to play a full season since 2020, excluding those meaningless Week 18 rests, is pulling off a comeback for the ages. But here’s the gut punch for Chiefs fans, and frankly, for anyone watching this epic AFC West showdown: his blind side protection for that comeback game is already looking like a massive question mark.
The “Everything Looks Normal” Comeback?
Can you believe it? Mahomes himself had been targeting a Week 1 return for months, and now it’s happening. Coach Andy Reid sounds super confident, telling everyone Mahomes is “pretty good chance… he’ll be the guy that’s out there.” Reid’s been watching him closely in practice, saying, “He’s shown everything there. He hasn’t missed a day… everything looks normal.” Think about that, just shy of nine months since a torn ACL, and Reid claims he’s “running around the same way he’s always done and throwing the ball like he’s always done.” It’s incredible to hear, especially with the brace on his leg. This guy is a warrior, absolutely determined to get back under center for this massive opening game. The anticipation for his return is off the charts, and it feels like a miracle comeback story already unfolding.
Rookie Blind Side, 14-Sack Monster
But hold up, because this is where the plot thickens. While Mahomes is ready to roll, his protection might not be. Left tackle Josh Simmons is battling a back issue, and Coach Reid isn’t exactly optimistic. “There’s a good chance Josh doesn’t play this week,” Reid stated, adding that Simmons has an “issue there that he’s working through” and there are no “time restraint” expectations for his return. That’s a huge blow right before a Monday Night Football opener. So who steps in? Undrafted rookie Kahlil Benson is in line to start, making his NFL debut. Yeah, you read that right. An undrafted rookie making his first start, tasked with protecting a returning-from-ACL-injury Patrick Mahomes’ blind side. Chiefs fans already knew offensive line depth was a concern from training camp, but nobody wanted to see it tested this way, this early. To make things even more terrifying, the Broncos led the NFL with a whopping 68 sacks last year. Benson could be lining up across from Nik Bonitto, who racked up 14 sacks himself and finished fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting last season. This isn’t just a tough matchup; this is a trial by fire.
This Monday Night Football AFC West clash is going to be electric. The Chiefs are three-point home favorites, but that number feels a little less certain with the blind side protection now on a rookie making his NFL debut against one of the league’s top pass rushers. You’ve got to wonder how much pressure Benson can withstand, and what that means for Mahomes, who’s still getting back into the swing of things. Get ready, because this game just got way more intense.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
Leave a Reply