The NFL Week 1 slate is kicking off with some serious drama, because two AFC West quarterbacks are back on the field after gnarly season-ending injuries last year. Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes and Broncos QB Bo Nix are ready to make their momentous returns, facing off in what’s sure to be an epic Monday Night Football matchup to start the 2026 season. Both these guys had their 2025 campaigns cut short by severe injuries, and now they are locking horns again after months of recovery.
Mahomes’ Unbelievable Comeback From a Torn ACL
Nobody saw this coming, but Patrick Mahomes is back in action after what looked like a devastating end to his 2025 season. In Week 15, during a tough loss to the Chargers, Mahomes tried to duck a Los Angeles tackler, but his left leg got caught in the turf. The result? A torn ACL and LCL. Just like that, his season was done. Surgery went down on December 15, 2025, just one day after the injury. That’s quick, right?
Optimistic estimates for an ACL tear put the recovery at nine months, while some folks were saying it could take a full year. But Mahomes? He was cleared for full participation during July’s training camp, wearing a compression sleeve and brace on that left knee. Chiefs VP of sports medicine and performance, Rick Burkholder, said it best: “Every player is different. Every sport is different. Every position is different. [Mahomes] is so in tune to what he does, he does it a little quicker.” Monday’s game is almost exactly nine months after his ACL tear. This dude missed only two games as a result of his injury. His seven-month return-to-practice timeline is right up there with other top QBs like Joe Burrow (seven months), Deshaun Watson (six months), and Robert Griffin III (six months). Talk about an absolute warrior.
Bo Nix Also Ready to Shake Off the Rust
Across the field, Bo Nix is also stepping back onto the gridiron after sustaining his own season-ending injury late in the 2025 season. The source doesn’t detail Nix’s specific injury like Mahomes’s, but it was severe enough to keep him out for the remainder of the year. He’s been through his own journey of recovery, confronting hardship head-on. Now, just like Mahomes, Nix is looking to shake off the cobwebs and prove he’s back to propel his team forward.
These two quarterbacks, both having faced down serious adversity, are facing each other in Week 1. It is not just another game, it’s a huge test for both of them. Can Mahomes play like he did before the injury? Can Nix restart his momentum? Everyone will be watching Monday Night Football to see how these two make their monumental returns.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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