Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) reacts before the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
Yeah, we're thinking he's back. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes made his return in Week 1 of the 2026 season. The former MVP and Super Bowl champion missed the back half of their 2025 campaign after he tore his ACL. Now that he's back, Kansas City is looking to reclaim their spot on top of the NFL pecking order.
Mahomes himself is looking like he might be returning back to his previous form. In the second quarter of their season opener against the Denver Broncos, the Chiefs quarterback is playing pretty well for a guy who suffered a serious knee injury earlier in the year. Mahomes threw his first touchdown since the injury: he found an open Rashee Rice, who then broke a couple of tackles to give Kansas City the lead.
Patrick Mahomes finds Rashee Rice, who breaks the tackle on the way to the touchdown 💪
Chiefs retake the lead over the Broncospic.twitter.com/ecDEvqFUjo
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) September 15, 2026
This was not Mahomes' first touchdown of the game, though. Mahomes showed off his wheels in the first quarter, scoring a rushing touchdown by outmaneuvering the Broncos defense. If there was any concern about how the Chiefs quarterback's knee would hold up, that play squashed any of those potential issues.
Mahomes tore his left knee's ACL in Week 15 of the 2025 season. The Chiefs were struggling up to that point, and Mahomes' injury was the dagger that killed their campaign. Prior to his injury, Mahomes threw for 3,587 yards on a 62.7% completion rate, throwing 22 touchdowns to 11 interceptions. He also added 422 rushing yards and five rushing TDs to his name.
Prior to the game, Mahomes said that his knee feels good and that he was ready to go out there with business as usual. So far, the Chiefs quarterback is proving that he's truly back.
“Mahomes says his knee feels good, really good, so much, in fact, he said that he doesn't even really think about it anymore when he's out on the field,” Lisa Salters reported before the game. “Nonetheless, he said that first hit tonight will be when he really knows that he's back and that he's good to go.