John Harbaugh praised Patrick Mahomes as unique while the Chiefs quarterback shared optimism about returning from his season-ending ACL injury
12:19 ET, 17 Feb 2026
John Harbaugh’s Baltimore Ravens were 1-5 against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs since 2018
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John Harbaugh’s Baltimore Ravens were 1-5 against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs since 2018(Image: Getty)
John Harbaugh has spent years trying to slow down Patrick Mahomes on the field, but the former Baltimore Ravens head coach has never hidden his admiration for the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback.
Even as Mahomes works his way back from the most serious injury of his career, Harbaugh’s view of the three-time Super Bowl champion hasn’t changed.
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Ahead of past playoff meetings between the teams, now-New York Giants head coach Harbaugh, who recruited a former NFL head coach after hiring a man his brother fired, described the challenge of defending Mahomes as something different from preparing for any other quarterback in the league.
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“He buys time to run, sometimes. He buys time to throw. He's just a really elusive guy. You'll see him in space. Sometimes, he'll make guys miss,” Harbaugh said. “It's just Patrick Mahomes. He's unique. Plays his own brand of football, been very successful. We'll just have to study him and do our best to try to keep him under wraps.”
That reputation still follows Mahomes into 2026, even after a difficult season that ended prematurely.
The Chiefs finished 6-11, missing the playoffs for the first time in his nine-year career, and the quarterback suffered a torn ACL in mid-December that required surgery and months of rehabilitation.
John Harbaugh agreed to a deal with the New York Giants
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John Harbaugh agreed to a deal with the New York Giants(Image: Getty)
Despite the setback, Mahomes produced solid numbers before the injury. He completed 315 of 502 passes for 3,587 yards with 22 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while adding 422 rushing yards and five scores on the ground.
Now the focus has shifted from game-planning against him to monitoring his recovery timeline. Speaking publicly after surgery, Mahomes offered an optimistic outlook while acknowledging the long road ahead.
“Rehab is going great so far,” Mahomes said. “I've been doing all of it here in Kansas City, and the doctor gives you goals to reach and I just try to maximize those. They have to hold me back because I always want to go a little bit further, so it's been going great.”
Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL in his left knee and also tore his LCL
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Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL in his left knee and also tore his LCL(Image: Getty)
The quarterback has set a clear target for his return — opening week of the 2026 season — though he emphasized that medical guidance will ultimately determine the timeline.
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“Obviously, I want to be ready for Week 1. The doctor said I could be, but we can't predict what's going to happen throughout the process,” Mahomes said. “That's the goal, to play Week 1 and have no restrictions. It's a long process, but I'm excited for it.”
Mahomes also plans to stay involved mentally with the team while recovering physically, including participating in offseason activities in a limited capacity.
“More than anything, I think it's just being in there — being in the room,” he said. “I'll be on the field as much as they'll let me, and when I'm not able to take the reps, it's getting those mental reps behind the play and seeing everything develop.”