The Kansas City Chiefs faced a heartbreaking setback when their franchise quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, sustained a severe knee injury during a narrow defeat to the Los Angeles Chargers. The damage, confirmed as tears to both the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and lateral collateral ligament (LCL), occurred late in the contest that ended 16-13 in favor of the visitors.
Rick Burkholder, the team’s vice president of sports medicine and performance, shared details about the rapid response to the injury. Mahomes had corrective surgery performed merely a day following the incident, addressing the tears in his left knee.
Regarding a possible comeback, Burkholder indicated optimism for Mahomes being available at the start of the 2026 campaign, though he noted the rehabilitation might extend up to 11 months in some cases.
“Every player is different. Every sport is different. Every position is different,” he said. “[Mahomes] is so in tune to what he does, he does it a little quicker. Ballpark on this is nine months, but it could be a month or two more, a month or two less.”
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid highlighted the quarterback’s resilient spirit in recent comments, emphasizing his determination amid adversity.
“He’s so positive right now,” Reid said. “Like Rick said, he attacked this thing the day of. You wouldn’t expect anything less. ‘Get me up, get me going,’ he’s basically saying, an hour after the game. ‘Brace me up and let me go.’ It’s not one of those injuries, obviously, but that’s his mindset. I think he’ll do great with the rehab. He’s a pretty fast healer that way. And his attitude is 90% of things, how you go about it. How you’re willing to push through the pain to get right.”
With Mahomes sidelined for the remainder of the current season, the organization moved quickly to bolster its depth chart by promoting a quarterback from the practice squad.
“We have signed Practice Squad players T Chukwuebuka Godrick, QB Chris Oladokun, and RB Dameon Pierce to active roster contracts,” the team shared on X.
Chris Oladokun, who entered the league as a late-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022, joined Kansas City’s practice squad shortly after and has been part of the setup there ever since.
As the Chiefs wrap up a challenging year, their remaining matchups include games against the Tennessee Titans, Denver Broncos, and Las Vegas Raiders, providing opportunities to evaluate younger players and build toward the future.
The swift surgical intervention and early start to rehabilitation reflect the team’s proactive approach, aiming to position Mahomes for a strong return when the next season kicks off.
