Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is ready to return to the field.
Mahomes was cleared to fully participate in training camp, marking the final step in his recovery from a torn ACL that cut short his 2025 season. The team announced the news on Friday, just days before they are set to open camp, and Mahomes took to social media for a wordless reaction showing that his time has come.
Patrick Mahomes Shares Telling Response to News
As ESPN’s Nate Taylor reported, the good news for Mahomes came directly from the Chiefs team doctor.
“The Chiefs’ medical staff and Dr. Dan Cooper, the Dallas Cowboys‘ head team physician who performed the surgery to repair the torn ACL and LCL in the quarterback’s left knee, cleared Mahomes on Wednesday to fully participate in camp,” Taylor wrote.
Mahomes issued an immediate response to the news, taking to X to share a post that simply showed a clock emoji. The Chiefs quarterback has said for months that he plans to return to the field for Week 1, then hit several key milestones throughout the offseason to lead up to this point.
Speaking to reporters later on Friday, Mahomes had more words about his rehab and the shape he’s in. The Chiefs quarterback said he feels more than ready to get back into live action.
“I feel stronger than I’ve ever felt, as far as strength and lifting [weights],” Mahomes said, via ESPN’s Taylor. “I feel amazing. … I’m excited just to be able to play football. I’ve been seeing cinderblock walls rehabbing every single day in Kansas City. Now, to be on that practice field with my teammates, it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
Despite the assurances from Mahomes that he would be ready, the team landed an expensive insurance policy by trading for former first-round pick Justin Fields. The former Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers starter is now slated to back up Mahomes instead.
Chiefs Expected to Take it Easy With Patrick Mahomes
Though he may be ready for live action again, Mahomes is not expected to face much hitting to start training camp — or through most of the preseason. The Chiefs quarterback told reporters that he’ll take it slow to start with his return.
“I’m a competitor, so [on] game day, I’m going to want to be out there,” he said. “But I understand the process of getting myself ready to play in the regular season is more important. We’ll see. The coaches and doctors will make that decision for me, but I’ll prepare myself like I’m going to play.”
Taylor suggested earlier in the week that the team will keep Mahomes largely under wraps until the season starts. That would include holding him out of preseason action for the first time in his career.
âThe Chiefs will also need to figure out the best measures to help Mahomes, in camp and throughout the season, including potentially holding him out of the preseason, which would be a first in his 10-year career,â Taylor wrote.
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