The Kansas City Chiefs are taking a cautious approach with Patrick Mahomes this preseason. Their franchise quarterback has been cleared for full participation in training camp, but he did not play in the August 15 preseason opener against the Los Angeles Rams.
Head coach Andy Reid has said the percentages lean against using Mahomes during the preseason. ESPN Chiefs reporter Nate Taylor has also reported that Reid would value seeing Mahomes operate for a live drive, while the medical staff sees benefits in giving his surgically repaired knee more time before contact.
Mahomes has remained patient throughout the process. He has said he will prepare as if he is going to play while leaving the final decision to the Chiefs’ coaches and doctors.
A cautious return after a devastating injury
Patrick Mahomes tore the ACL and LCL in his left knee during Kansas City’s 16-13 home loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15 of the 2025 season. The defeat eliminated the Chiefs from playoff contention, while Mahomes’ injury ended his season.
Kansas City’s elimination snapped a run of 10 consecutive playoff appearances, marking the first time the Chiefs had missed the postseason since the 2014 season.
Mahomes underwent surgery the following day and began his rehabilitation. About 7 months later, he was cleared for full participation in training camp, with Reid saying the Chiefs would continue monitoring his recovery day by day.
Nate Taylor describes differing preseason priorities
ESPN Chiefs reporter Nate Taylor said on the Chiefs Collective podcast that Mahomes is a “full go” and could play if the regular season were beginning now. Taylor said people around the organization believe there is little benefit in exposing Mahomes to preseason contact.
Taylor also said Reid would value seeing Mahomes operate for a live drive from an organizational standpoint, while the medical staff sees an advantage in giving the surgically repaired leg more time before Mahomes takes a hit.
Publicly, Reid has not announced that Mahomes will miss all 3 preseason games. Before the opener, he said the percentages leaned against playing Mahomes during the preseason while leaving open the possibility of reassessing the later games.
Reid’s own words on the percentages
Reid addressed Mahomes’ preseason availability before the opener against the Los Angeles Rams and said the odds leaned against using him during the exhibition schedule.
“There’s a pretty good chance I don’t play him,” Reid said. He also left the second and third preseason games unresolved, saying the percentages probably leaned against Mahomes playing in those contests as well.
Reid said the quarterbacks behind Mahomes needed additional work. Kansas City’s other quarterbacks are Justin Fields, rookie Garrett Nussmeier and Chris Oladokun, giving the Chiefs several players who can benefit from extended preseason snaps.
Mahomes stays ready despite the uncertainty
Mahomes has stayed diplomatic about the entire decision, insisting he fully trusts the people currently managing his return to action. He said he prepares every week as though he will definitely play that game.
“I’m a competitor, so game day I’m going to want to be out there,” Mahomes told reporters recently. He fully acknowledged that the regular season opener matters far more than any single preseason snap count.
He ultimately deferred the final call entirely to the professionals around him at the training facility. Mahomes said doctors and coaches would decide together, while he simply focuses on staying fully prepared physically and mentally.
Little-known fact: The Detroit Tigers selected Mahomes as a pitcher in the 37th round of the 2014 MLB Draft. He did not sign, enrolled at Texas Tech, and briefly played both football and baseball before ultimately focusing on football.
Why caution remains part of the decision
Research published in the Orthopedic Journal of Sports Medicine found that quarterbacks had a 92.9% return-to-play rate after ACL reconstruction, compared with 53.7% for players at other positions in the study.
The research also showed that outcomes after ACL reconstruction vary considerably across NFL positions. A high return rate among quarterbacks does not eliminate the need for an individualized rehabilitation and return-to-play process.
Kansas City has continued to monitor Mahomes closely even after clearing him for full training-camp participation. Reid has said coaches, trainers, and doctors will evaluate his progress as the Chiefs prepare for the regular season.
Preseason opener shows life without Mahomes
The preseason opener offered Kansas City an early look at its offense without Mahomes. The Chiefs fell to the Rams 20-12, with Justin Fields starting at quarterback and completing all 4 of his passes during the first quarter.
Garrett Nussmeier then handled most of the quarterback work, while Chris Oladokun also received multiple drives. Reid described the performance as a learning opportunity, saying, “There were some good things, and there are some things we got to clean up.”
Several younger players received extended opportunities as Kansas City evaluated its roster depth during the exhibition opener.
Little-known fact: Mahomes, in his senior year at Whitehouse High School, threw a 16-strikeout no-hitter and beat Michael Kopech, who’s now a pitcher for the Chicago White Sox.
What this means for the Broncos’ opener
Kansas City opens the regular season at home against the Denver Broncos on September 14. Mahomes has made returning for the opener a major goal and has been cleared for full participation in training camp.
Reid has expressed optimism that Mahomes will be ready for Week 1, but has stopped short of guaranteeing his availability. He said the Chiefs will continue to evaluate the quarterback’s recovery day by day rather than make a firm prediction.
Trust, patience, and the bigger picture
Kansas City’s approach reflects different considerations rather than a publicly documented rift between Reid and the medical staff. Reid has acknowledged the potential value of game preparation while also saying the percentages lean against using Mahomes during the preseason.
Taylor has reported that Reid would value seeing Mahomes operate for a live drive, while the medical staff sees benefits in delaying contact with the surgically repaired leg. Mahomes, meanwhile, has said preparing for the regular season is more important than taking preseason snaps.
For now, Kansas City continues to take a cautious approach. Mahomes is practicing fully, but the Chiefs have not publicly committed to playing him in either of their remaining preseason games.
TL;DR
- Mahomes tore his ACL and LCL during Kansas City’s Week 15 loss to the Chargers, a defeat that eliminated the Chiefs from playoff contention.
- Mahomes has been cleared for full participation in training camp and sat out Kansas City’s first preseason game.
- Reid has said the percentages lean against playing Mahomes during the preseason, but has not publicly ruled him out of both remaining games.
- Nate Taylor has reported that Reid would value seeing Mahomes operate for a live drive, while the medical staff favors giving his repaired leg more time before contact.
- Mahomes has deferred the final decision to the Chiefs’ coaches and doctors while preparing as if he will play.
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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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