Nearly five months of recovery, Patrick Mahomes has become a topic of conversation in the offseason for the Kansas City Chiefs. The clock is already ticking off as the Chiefs’ Organized Team Activities workouts start on May 26. Amidst the confusion, an NFL insider dropped an update on Mahomes’ return.

"He's been working!” Ian Rapoport said. “What I would say is, this does not necessarily mean he's going to be on the field when the season starts.”

NFL insider Ian Rapoport discussed Mahomes’ recovery from the injury he suffered in Week 15 last December on The Pat McAfee Show, which Starcade Media shared via its X account on May 6.

After surgery, recovery for a torn ACL takes nine to 12 months. While the Chiefs added Justin Fields as backup support, Mahomes has progressed quickly.

According to Kansas City general manager Brett Veach, Mahomes remains ahead of schedule after putting in long rehab hours. Meanwhile, head coach Andy Reid said as well that Mahomes is in a good position. But the league’s rules tied to the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list will decide his participation in the OTAs.

Back in March, it was just 100 days after his knee surgery, Mahomes shared a video of himself taking up the five-step dropback before throwing the ball in indoor practice.

And even on his trip with wife Brittany Mahomes and three kids to Texas in April, he brought the team’s trainer to continue his workout without any disruption.

Rapoport’s uncertainty about Mahomes playing Week 1 comes down to the risk of an early return causing setbacks that could outweigh the benefit of extra recovery time.

However, it has been done before. Back in 2012, former Minnesota Vikings running back, Adrian Peterson returned from an ACL tear in December of the prior year. He recovered in time for Week 1, rushed for over 2,000 yards, and won MVP.

While Mahomes continues progressing in rehab, his recovery timeline may be affecting the NFL’s upcoming schedule plans.

Patrick Mahomes Timeline May Affect NFL Schedule Plans

According to NFL executive Mike North, the league could delay its 2026 schedule release until they receive full clarity on Mahomes’ health.

On the It’s Always Game Day in Buffalo podcast, North explained why Mahomes’ status matters to the league’s scheduling decisions.

“He's one of the biggest stars in the league, and I don't think any of us would feel great if we had him in prime time early in the season and he missed the first four weeks or whatever,” North said.

The NFL usually releases its full schedule in the second week of May. But North suggested the league could push the announcement back by another week if necessary.

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Written by

Shreya Mishra

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar