Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid provided an optimistic update on quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who is rehabilitating after major knee surgery. Mahomes sustained a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee during Week 15 against the Los Angeles Chargers and underwent surgery the next day, raising questions about his readiness for the 2026 season opener.
Since the injury, team officials and Mahomes himself have indicated that the rehab process is progressing well, with daily efforts focused on recovery and strengthening.
Andy Reid Highlights Mahomes’ Dedication and Rehab Routine
At a February 20 press conference, Reid described Mahomes’ intense commitment and daily schedule in rehab. He emphasized the quarterback’s consistent work ethic and determination throughout the recovery period.
He’s around here all the time… 7 hours a day. He’s in there making progress every day,
Reid said, via Chiefs Wire’s Charles Goldman.
Julie (Frymyer) makes sure he stays on task and challenges him… It’s not going to be a pleasant thing every day; you’ve got to fight through and attack the challenge of the rehab and workout.
Earlier in January, Mahomes shared that his rehab was going well but acknowledged that medical staff had to limit his efforts to prevent overexertion. Though eager to be ready for the Chiefs’ Week 1 game, he recognized doctors’ advice that significant work remains before full recovery.
Reid also commented on Mahomes’ progress in early January, noting the quarterback’s trust in his rehab team and strong effort.
He’s doing great for just being 3 weeks out. He’ll go ahead & most likely stay up here (in KC) rehabbing. He has a lot of trust in (Julie Frymyer). He’s been in there grinding,
Reid said, according to ESPN’s Nate Taylor.
Medical Team Discusses Injury Complexity and Recovery Expectations
Rick Burkholder, Chiefs Vice President of Sports Medicine and Performance, explained the specifics of Mahomes’ injury and the anticipated recovery timeline. He noted that every athlete and situation is different, but Mahomes’ strong motivation may aid a slightly quicker rehabilitation.
Every player is different, every sport is different, every position is different,
Burkholder said at a December 17, 2025 press conference.
With him, traditionally, he’s going after it. So he’s so in tune with what he does that he does it a little quicker. Ballpark on this thing is nine months. It could be a month or two less, month or two more. You never know what goes on.
The urgency for prompt surgery came from an additional LCL avulsion injury found on the MRI scan.
The reason he wanted to operate on him quickly, where we usually wait on the ACLs is because the LCL we wanted to reattach the evulsion injury there,
Burkholder said.
After seeing the MRI, they said everything that he had in this injury was fixable, correctable, and it was fixed on Monday Night by Dr. Cooper.
Burkholder also confirmed the absence of complications such as artery, nerve, joint surface, or meniscus damage.
He had no artery damage, no nerve damage, no joint surface damage, no meniscal damage,
Burkholder said.
He’s already started rehab down in Dallas.
He attacks him and does very well, and he’s in that mode right now,
Burkholder added.
When you add up all the little things that allows the player to get back faster, they don’t heal up any faster, they just get back to performance faster.
Chiefs Adjust Mahomes’ Contract to Manage Salary Cap Amid Recovery
While Mahomes continues his rehabilitation, the Chiefs organization has taken steps to adjust their financial situation. The team restructured Mahomes’ contract by converting $54.45 million of his salary into a signing bonus, which substantially lowered his cap number for the 2026 season.
According to OverTheCap.com analyst Jason Fitzgerald, this adjustment reduced Mahomes’ 2026 cap figure from $78.2 million to $34.65 million. The restructuring shifts over $10 million of the cap hit into future seasons, with a projected increase to more than $85 million in 2027. Mahomes remains under contract with the Chiefs through 2031, offering the team room to manage salary cap implications or negotiate further extensions.
Ongoing Uncertainties and Hope for Season Opener Availability
Despite the encouraging rehab progress reported by Andy Reid, medical staff, and Mahomes, it remains uncertain whether the quarterback will be ready for the start of the 2026 campaign. The injury’s severity and recovery timeline call for caution, but the team continues to monitor his condition closely while expressing optimism about his disciplined approach and steady improvements.
Chiefs HC Andy Reid with an update on QB Patrick Mahomes: "He's around here all the time… 7 hours a day. He's in there making progress every day. Julie (Frymyer) makes sure he stays on task and challenges him… It's not going to be a pleasant thing every day; you've got to…
— Charles Goldman (@goldmctNFL) February 20, 2026
Andy Reid on Patrick Mahomes' rehab: "He's doing great for just being 3 weeks out. He'll go ahead & most likely stay up here (in KC) rehabbing. He has a lot of trust in (Julie Frymyer). He's been in there grinding."
— Nate Taylor (@ByNateTaylor) January 5, 2026
Chiefs restructured Patrick Mahomes' contract to open up just under $44M in cap spacehttps://t.co/zsXARBTQWN
— Jason_OTC (@Jason_OTC) February 18, 2026
