[REVISION HISTORY]

Mahomes recovery and upcoming season opener

Updated 27 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-09-11 01:04 UTC → 2026-09-11 20:31 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Patrick Mahomes entered the 2026 Kansas City Chiefs training camp recovering from a season-ending ACL/LCL injury. While a poll of coaches and scouts kept him at the top of quarterback rankings, some outlets demoted him to Tier 2. During camp, a viral moment occurred when Mahomes threw a pass that struck center Hunter Nourzad in the head; Mahomes later responded to the clip with a meme. As Mahomes continues his recovery, head coach Andy Reid has taken a cautious approach regarding his participation in exhibition games. Although Mahomes has been medically cleared and has participated in full-team practices, Reid indicated that “percentages lean” against using him in the preseason to protect his knee and provide repetitions for depth players like Justin Fields, Garrett Nussmeier, and Chris Oladokun. Mahomes sat out the preseason opener against the Los Angeles Rams and the subsequent matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. ~~During the Buccaneers game, Justin Fields was slated to start at quarterback through the second quarter, followed by Nussmeier and Oladokun.~~ Nine months after tearing his ACL and LCL during a game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Mahomes has completed a full rehabilitation process. Head coach Andy Reid confirmed that Mahomes is cleared to start the season opener against the Denver Broncos on Monday night. While Mahomes may wear a brace, his movement appears normal. Teammate Travis Kelce praised Mahomes’ determination, noting that the quarterback’s mentality shifted immediately following surgery. Former teammate Tyreek Hill also reacted positively to the news of his return. As the team prepares for the ~~matchup, they continue to manage~~ Week 1 matchup at Arrowhead Stadium, offensive ~~line injuries, with rookie Kahlil Benson potentially starting for left tackle Josh Simmons. In addition to his physical recovery, Mahomes has launched~~ coordinator Eric Bieniemy described the ~~‘Patrick Mahomes Signature Series’ eyewear collection~~ upcoming game as an “old-school AFC West blood match.” The Chiefs' offense will face a Denver defense that ranked among the top three in ~~partnership with Oakley, featuring designs inspired by~~ the ~~Chiefs.~~ NFL in points and yards allowed last season.

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