- May 21, 2026
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Patrick Mahomes has made a remarkable recovery from a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee. The Chiefs quarterback injured his knee in a Dec. 14 game and underwent surgery the following day.
A little over seven months later, he is cleared for training camp.
Mahomes said he consulted with several players who went through a similar rehab.
“I talked to Tom [Brady] early in the process because he had the same injury, a very similar injury that I had,” Mahomes said Friday, via Pete Sweeney of the Kansas City Star.
Brady tore the ACL and MCL in his left knee during the season opener in 2008 before winning Comeback Player of the Year in 2009.
“It’s just talking to guys that have been through this process and just saying how you have to stay on top of it,” Mahomes said. “It’s a long process. I remember sitting on the table and watching us play those last few games and how much it hurt me, but I knew that if I continued to work, I could be at this spot where I get cleared for practice. Now I’m just trying to get to that spot where I’m cleared to play in the regular season on that first week.”
Mahomes also talked to former Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu and veteran tight end Zach Ertz. Mathieu tore the ACL and LCL in his left knee in 2013 and had another ACL tear in 2015, and Ertz tore his ACL a week before Mahomes' injury.
His conversations with Ertz turned into a rehab competition.
“We kind of had like competitions on where we were at, and where we were rehabbing,” Mahomes said of Ertz. “It would start off as how much deadlift — what you’re deadlifting, where you’re at — and then [we would] send little videos. He’s jumping and doing certain acceleration things, and I’m sending him next week doing cutting and stuff like that.
“It keeps the competition going because it’s a long process and you feel like sometimes you’re lonely because you’re doing stuff by yourself, and you’re just competing against yourself, so it gave me someone else that I can compete with to push my competitive drive.”
A little over seven months later, he is cleared for training camp.
Mahomes said he consulted with several players who went through a similar rehab.
“I talked to Tom [Brady] early in the process because he had the same injury, a very similar injury that I had,” Mahomes said Friday, via Pete Sweeney of the Kansas City Star.
Brady tore the ACL and MCL in his left knee during the season opener in 2008 before winning Comeback Player of the Year in 2009.
“It’s just talking to guys that have been through this process and just saying how you have to stay on top of it,” Mahomes said. “It’s a long process. I remember sitting on the table and watching us play those last few games and how much it hurt me, but I knew that if I continued to work, I could be at this spot where I get cleared for practice. Now I’m just trying to get to that spot where I’m cleared to play in the regular season on that first week.”
Mahomes also talked to former Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu and veteran tight end Zach Ertz. Mathieu tore the ACL and LCL in his left knee in 2013 and had another ACL tear in 2015, and Ertz tore his ACL a week before Mahomes' injury.
His conversations with Ertz turned into a rehab competition.
“We kind of had like competitions on where we were at, and where we were rehabbing,” Mahomes said of Ertz. “It would start off as how much deadlift — what you’re deadlifting, where you’re at — and then [we would] send little videos. He’s jumping and doing certain acceleration things, and I’m sending him next week doing cutting and stuff like that.
“It keeps the competition going because it’s a long process and you feel like sometimes you’re lonely because you’re doing stuff by yourself, and you’re just competing against yourself, so it gave me someone else that I can compete with to push my competitive drive.”