Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
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Quarterback Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Kansas City Chiefs could be just days from seeing Patrick Mahomes return to the field for real action for the first time since December, but an NFL insider has issued a measure of warning for the team.
SI.com’s Albert Breer reported that Mahomes remains on track to return from the torn ACL that cut short his 2025 season, having participated in team OTAs in May and showing off some good movement. But Breer warned that the situation could grow more complicated as Mahomes faces live defenders for the first time in nearly seven months.
Patrick Mahomes May Need Slow Return From Torn ACL
Breer noted that the Chiefs allowed Mahomes to participate in 7-on-7 drills during OTAs, but held him out of the 11-on-11 drills. Mahomes is set to return to the team in just a few days, and Breer warned that the team will need to keep his action measured at first.
“This year, the Chiefs are going back to having quarterbacks and rookies report three days earlier than the rest of the team after having everyone come to camp together the past few years, meaning Mahomes will be in St. Joseph, Mo., on Friday,” Breer wrote. “The assumption, knowing him as a person, is that he’ll be champing at the bit to get on the field, as he was in the spring. And while that enthusiasm is appreciated, it’s also a reminder to exhibit some caution.”
Breer added that the Chiefs are expected to fully clear Mahomes this week, with the quarterback ready to jump back in at 100%.
“So the plan is to be smart with it, and make sure everyone is doing what’s going to put him in the best position to be at his best from September through February, not just ready for Week 1,” Breer wrote.
Breer added that Mahomes will undoubtedly face challenges as he gets used to facing defenders on a surgically repaired knee.
“So there’ll be a balance,” Breer wrote. “Andy Reid generally runs one of the NFL’s toughest training camps, which should give Mahomes ample opportunity to find quality reps. Mahomes also has played in multiple preseason games in every year of his career, which raises the question of how much the Chiefs veer from what they’ve generally done.”
Justin Fields Likely Staying on the Bench
The Chiefs added an expensive insurance policy for Mahomes this offseason, trading for former first-round pick Justin Fields. Reid said the team would be comfortable turning to the former Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers starter if Mahomes wasn’t ready to go by Week 1, but Mahomes has made significant strides since then.
That could leave a difficult path for another former Chiefs starter. Longtime practice squad member Chris Oladokun started during the final stretch of the season, after both Mahomes and backup Gardner Minshew were injured, but he will now contend with rookie Garrett Nussmeier for a spot on the practice squad.
A seventh-round pick who was once seen as a potential first-rounder, Nussmeier is seen as a developmental project and could have an edge over Oladokun for the final spot on the Chiefs’ depth chart.