ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been given the green light to take part in training camp with zero restrictions, marking a major milestone in his recovery from surgery to fix torn ligaments in his left knee last year.
Mahomes said Friday that he visited earlier in the week with Dr. Dan Cooper, the Dallas-based orthopedic surgeon who performed the procedure, and that he hit all the necessary benchmarks to report on time to Missouri Western State University.
The Chiefs kicked off practice Saturday for rookies, quarterbacks, and players returning from injuries. The full squad is scheduled to begin work next week.
Of all the players in that group, none carries more weight than Mahomes, who injured his knee during a loss to the Chargers back in December. He went straight into surgery after that game, and instead of heading home to Texas for the offseason as he normally would, he stayed at the Chiefs’ facility and threw himself into his rehabilitation.
“It was always the goal to be able to practice when I got to training camp. We kind of hit that step,” Mahomes said. “Now, it’s about building and keep getting better and better, so when the regular season comes around, I can be available.”
Head coach Andy Reid confirmed that Mahomes has been fully cleared with no limitations, though he said he plans to evaluate the franchise quarterback on a daily basis going forward. Whether Mahomes will suit up for any preseason action remains an open question.
The Chiefs’ preseason opener against the Rams is set for Aug. 15. The date that matters far more, however, is Sept. 14 — when Kansas City hosts the AFC West-champion Broncos at Arrowhead Stadium for a high-profile Monday night matchup to open the regular season.
“We’ll see about games and all that once we get there,” Reid said, “but right now, we’re just taking it day by day.”
Mahomes, who signed a restructured contract in June that keeps him with the Chiefs through the 2033 season, said he plans to wear a brace on his left knee during camp — something he did while recovering from a college injury — partly because it doesn’t cause him any discomfort.
Aside from that, he expects to take part in camp the same way he has for the past ten years.
“Like, I’m a competitor,” Mahomes said, “so gameday, I’m going to want to be out there. But I understand the process of getting myself ready to play in the regular season is more important (than the preseason). But we’ll see. I mean, the coaches and doctors will kind of make that decision for me, but I’ll prepare myself like I’m going to play. And then if I’m just doing a very hard warmup, I’ll take that as serious as playing in the preseason game. It’s just a couple of weeks away, but it feels like a long ways away.”
The road back was not easy. During the early months of his rehab, Mahomes leaned on advice from Tom Brady and former teammate Tyrann Mathieu, both of whom had dealt with similar injuries during their careers. He also found an unlikely virtual training partner in Eagles tight end Zach Ertz, who tore his ACL the same December.
The two would exchange workout videos of themselves doing deadlifts, sprints, and agility drills — each trying to outdo the other as they worked through the long and grueling recovery process together.
“They all said, ‘Stay on top of it,’” Mahomes said. “I mean, it’s a long process. I remember sitting on the table and watching us play those last few games, how much it hurt me. But I knew that if I continue to work, I can be at this spot where I get cleared for practice, and now I’m trying to get to that spot where I’m cleared to play for the regular season.”
In other team news, defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott is expected to begin camp on the physically unable-to-perform list after tearing his right ACL in October, according to Reid. “Big guys with ACLs, it takes a little time to come back,” the coach said. Wide receiver Rashee Rice was cleared to practice following a May procedure to remove debris from his right knee. Meanwhile, first-round pick cornerback Mansoor Delane, who hurt his shoulder during offseason workouts, was going through physicals Friday, and Reid expressed hope that he would be on the field soon.
