The Kansas City Chiefs are expected to fully clear Patrick Mahomes from his torn ACL and LCL this week, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, a development that would put him at full medical clearance approximately seven months after surgery, a timeline that defies the normal recovery window for one of the most serious injuries a quarterback can suffer.
Mahomes tore his left ACL and LCL on December 14 in a Week 15 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, a defeat that also ended Kansas City’s playoff streak at 10 consecutive seasons. Surgery followed the next day in Dallas with Dr. Dan Cooper. Chiefs VP of sports medicine and performance, Rick Burkholder, had set an initial nine-month recovery timeline at the time.
Dec 14, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) throws a pass during the second half against the Los Angeles Chargers at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
Mahomes tore his left ACL and LCL on December 14
Breer’s reporting on the clearance came with a caveat that may be the most telling detail in the whole update. “There’s an expectation among Chiefs people that Mahomes will be fully cleared this week,” Breer wrote, “and also the knowledge that when they tell him he can go, he will really go.”
The Chiefs have watched Mahomes battle through a high ankle sprain to win Super Bowl LVII, come back earlier than expected from a 2019 knee injury, and operate at a high level through a series of late-season ailments that would have sidelined most quarterbacks.
Per Breer’s earlier reporting, Mahomes had already been participating in install periods, individual drills, and seven-on-seven work through the spring. His throwing had been limited by rehab protocols but his arm had impressed the coaches and teammates watching.
Patrick Mahomes is expected to get fully medically cleared this week after being ONLY seven months since tearing his ACL and LCL, per @AlbertBreer
“There’s an expectation among Chiefs people that Mahomes will be fully cleared this week, and also the knowledge that when they… pic.twitter.com/dYHx30qoFh
— Hailmarypass (@Hailmarypass_) July 20, 2026
Breer described him as “way ahead of the normal ACL/LCL rehab timeline” and said the plan heading into camp was to be “judicious” with him in the early days, knowing full clearance would change the dynamic immediately.
Training camp opens for the Chiefs next week. The organization acquired Justin Fields in a trade this offseason as insurance for a season that was always going to begin with Mahomes’ status as the central storyline. Andy Reid declined to set a public timeline for Mahomes at the combine or through OTAs, and the Chiefs have handled the recovery with deliberate quietness.
Mahomes is entering his 10th NFL season on a $504.75 million extension that runs through 2033. Seven months ago he was leaving the field with a damaged left knee and a franchise that had just missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade. The clearance this week does not guarantee Week 1 but will confirm the version of Patrick Mahomes the Chiefs are hoping to put on the field in Sep. The only question left is how patient everyone can remain between now and then.
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