Patrick Mahomes is reportedly on track to start Week 1 for the Kansas City Chiefs, which is a massive relief for them after he went down with a brutal torn ACL and LCL last season. The dude told reporters just this Tuesday that he feels like he’s absolutely on schedule to be under center when the Chiefs kick off their 2026 campaign on September 14 against the Denver Broncos. Talk about a comeback!
Mahomes’ Unbelievable Comeback Grind
It’s been a long haul for Mahomes, who had his 2025 season cut short by that devastating knee injury. But from the sound of it, he’s put in the work, and then some. “Being able to go out there, day after day, and have the grind of a camp, that can even be harder than the [regular] season,” Mahomes explained. He sounded genuinely pumped, saying, “It’s been awesome for me to be able to do that. It’s exciting. I didn’t know if I was going to have to take days off, but my body has responded the right way.” Can you believe that? Not missing a beat, even after an injury like that. He even added, “Honestly, the more we practice, the better I feel.” That’s the kind of grit you expect from an all-timer, right?
He hasn’t played in a single preseason game, which, honestly, isn’t a surprise given the severity of the injury. And get this, he’s not expected to see any action in Friday’s matchup against our very own Seattle Seahawks. But here’s the kicker: Mahomes hasn’t missed a single practice since he was cleared for football activities back in July. He’s been living in the facility, maximizing every rep in the weight room and every hour dedicated to getting his body right. He said this Week 1 start date has been “nine months” in the making, exactly what the doctors told him he’d need if he did everything perfectly. This was always the plan, he says, right from the day he had surgery.
What Mahomes Skipping Means For Our Hawks This Week
This will actually be the first time in Mahomes’ storied career that he hasn’t played in a single preseason game. But let’s be real, the Chiefs know exactly what they have in him, assuming he’s healthy and ready to roll. The guy’s resume is just stupid good: three Super Bowl titles, three Super Bowl MVPs, two league MVPs, six Pro Bowl selections, and six seasons where he’s thrown for more than 4,000 passing yards. Back in 2022, he literally led the entire league in both passing yards with 5,250 and 41 passing touchdowns. He’s already considered one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history, full stop.
For us, though, it means our Seahawks are going to face a Chiefs squad without their star signal-caller this Friday. This is still preseason, sure, but it gives Coach Macdonald a chance to see how our guys stack up against a different look. It’s a chance for players like Sam Darnold to get more reps, for Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Rashid Shaheed, and Cooper Kupp to build chemistry, and for our defense to fine-tune without the added pressure of facing one of the greatest right out of the gate. We’ll be watching to see who steps up!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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