When is Patrick Mahomes coming back? Chiefs QB injury looms over unusual NFL Draft for Kansas City

When is Patrick Mahomes coming back? Chiefs QB injury looms over unusual NFL Draft for Kansas City originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Everything about the 2025 NFL season was weird for the Kansas City Chiefs, and it led to a 6-11 record and a surprising spot in the 2026 NFL Draft.

The Chiefs are slated to pick at No. 9 in the first round on Thursday (along with the No. 29 pick from the Trent McDuffie trade), although a deal to move up could still be in the cards.

Looming over all of this is Patrick Mahomes. He tore his ACL and LCL late in the regular season, and his recovery timeline is certainly a crucial component to all of this.

Kansas City certainly believes it can bounce back immediately in 2026. That will require Mahomes on the field.

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When is Patrick Mahomes coming back?

It's too early to know for sure, but there's at least a chance of Mahomes being ready for Week 1.

On the flip side, there's a definite chance that Mahomes isn't ready for Week 1.

That'd only be about nine months, which is on the very short end of possible torn ACL recovery times. You'd also think the Chiefs would want to be careful not to rush their franchise quarterback, just to be sure.

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