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The 2026 NFL season will be an unprecedented one for Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid as members of the Kansas City Chiefs. Reid had never lost more seven games since becoming Chiefs head coach in 2013, while Mahomes had won 11 or more games in each season he's been the starting quarterback since 2018. Now, they will face true adversity for the first time.
Following a 6-11 season, a small subsection of fans was calling for Reid's firing. They believe his offense has grown stale. But Chiefs owner Clark Hunt and the Kansas City front office aren't letting one down season sway them into making brash decisions. Reid also wasn't helped by Mahomes going down with a major knee injury, although the team was out of postseason contention by that point.
With eyes on the future, Mahomes' status is fully in question due to the nature of his injury. He tore two knee ligaments. The injury occurring late in the season also means he could very well miss time to start next season, although he's been adamant that he'll be ready for Week 1.
Clark Hunt sees Patrick Mahomes possibly being on the field for Week 1 in 2026
That sentiment has been echoed by Hunt himself, as the Chiefs owner recently spoke about Mahomes' recovery timeline. In almost everyone's eyes, they're expecting Mahomes to be ready for the first game of the 2026 season, simply because he's already ahead of schedule.
Recoveries from major knee injuries have been greatly shortened in recent times. What was once considered a career-threatening injury then turned into a one-year process. Now, players are coming back within eight to nine months or so if everything goes according to plan. Mahomes tore his knee ligaments on December 15. With the first game of next season coming in early September, it's not a stretch to say everyone expects him out there for that game; at least for now, without any setbacks.