Patrick Mahomes is officially cleared for practice, and that’s a massive sigh of relief for the Chiefs after their star QB spent the offseason rehabbing a season-ending knee injury suffered in December. This wasn’t some automatic wave-through, either. Mahomes had to fight for that clearance, facing a challenge that could have sidelined him even longer as camp kicked off.
No Easy Pass for the Franchise QB
Mahomes revealed the final hurdle he cleared before Dr. Dan Cooper, who repaired both his ACL and LCL, signed off on full participation. It was a rigorous test, not a given. “I had to pass a test that was pretty hard,” Mahomes recalled. “Then, they made me go out there and do a lot of cutting and jumping and all that different type of stuff.” He admitted the pressure was real. “You’re nervous because you’re so close to camp and have to pass it kind of on that first time, but I was able to do that.” Sounds like classic Mahomes, right? That competitor mentality drove him through. He knew Cooper wouldn’t take it easy, saying the doctor “was going to push me to my limit and see what I got.”
Pushing the Limits, Forgetting the Brace
Receiving Cooper’s blessing gave Mahomes confidence to return to practice fully, but he’s under scrutiny as he works to overcome such a serious injury. “It wasn’t like he was just going to clear me to clear me,” Mahomes noted, emphasizing the genuine assessment. He now faces the task of proving to coaches and doctors that he can perform in the regular season, too. So far, so good: Mahomes has had no noticeable setback through two weeks of training camp, claiming his knee “feels great.” He’s “just pushing every single day,” trying to stack those productive days together. While he’s been seen adjusting his knee brace at times, it seems to bother him less now that padded practices have begun and the brace is completely covered. He’s even admitted, “I forget about it sometimes.” That’s the mindset you want from your leader. “I try to be smart, but you get through camp, and you’re trying to compete,” he added. “Practices are long, and you want to win the rep. So, there are times when I do forget about it and just play football. Which is a good thing.”
Mahomes said he needs to “learn how to play with what I’ve got” as the regular season approaches. It’s clear the competitor is back, and he’s not holding back as they stack up these training camp days for what’s sure to be an intense season opener.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Arrowhead Pride.
Leave a Reply