Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is a busy man.
He is currently working hard to rehab from the ACL and LCL tear he sustained during Week 15 of the 2025 season. Mahomes was fortunately able to have surgery on it the very next day, and on Wednesday he posted a training video of himself dropping back and delivering a pass, just 100 days after his operation.
Working out and recovering may not be the only thing keeping Mahomes occupied. The Chiefs just got through the first wave of free agency, in which they got Mahomes some much-needed help in the form of running back Kenneth Walker III. Their attention is now turned toward the 2026 NFL Draft, where they’ll look to acquire more offensive weapons. Does Mahomes have a hand in these processes?
NFL Insider Reveals Patrick Mahomes Is Involved With Kansas City Chiefs’ Roster Decisions
GettyChiefs president Mark Donovan, HC Andy Reid, owner Clark Hunt, QB Patrick Mahomes, and GM Brett Veach.
NBC Sports analyst and former NFL quarterback Chris Simms recently shared a story about the role Mahomes plays in the roster decisions the Chiefs make (via the Chris Simms Unbuttoned podcast).
“I’ve been there in Kansas City, they ask him about everything because they know he’s working and involved,” Simms said. “I was there on a day where it was cut day. I was about to interview him and they (Chiefs officials) were like hold on, he’s in the meeting with Andy (Chiefs coach Andy Reid) and (Chiefs general manager) Brett Veach talking about who’s going to make the team and who’s not. I don’t even know if I was supposed to share that, but I just did. Regardless, that’s just the kind of guy he (Mahomes) is.”
It has been speculated for a while now that Mahomes has some pull with the Chiefs’ brass. He certainly has earned that privilege after winning two NFL MVPs and leading Kansas City to three Super Bowl victories. It makes sense for Veach and Reid to listen to Mahomes when it comes to what he likes in offensive skill position players.
Examining Patrick Mahomes’ Recovery Timetable
GettyChiefs QB Patrick Mahomes.
The video Mahomes posted has fans encouraged that he will be ready to play in Week 1 of the regular season. While that’s certainly possible, NFL insider Ian Rapoport joined NFL Network’s “The Insiders” on Thursday and stated that there is still a lot of uncertainty surrounded Mahomes’ recovery.
“This is good news,” Rapoport said of Mahomes’ video. “That said, there is still some uncertainty. There’s a lot of uncertainty because he is just three months out from a nine-to-twelve-month recovery. It is not just an ACL tear. It is also an LCL tear. It included surgery right away just to accelerate the rehab. It also is the kind of thing that can take a little bit longer. The knee can be a little stiff.”
It’s not the end of the world if Mahomes has to miss a few games at the start of the 2026 season. The Chiefs acquired quarterback Justin Fields in a trade with the New York Jets a couple of weeks ago, and he should be able to keep things afloat if Mahomes needs some extra recovery time. Getting Mahomes back at full strength so he doesn’t have any setbacks down the line is the top priority.