Andy Reid enters the 2026 season after his first losing year in Kansas City, and his biggest problem is Patrick Mahomes’ recovery.

After finishing 6-11 in 2025, Kansas City enters the new season with uncertainty surrounding Patrick Mahomes' recovery from a torn ACL. Speaking on ESPN's NFL Live, Damien Woody said those questions are enough to keep him from picking the Chiefs to win the AFC West.

“I’m not picking the Kansas City Chiefs to win the AFC West this year. I think listen, anytime you have Patrick Mahomes, anything is possible,” Woody said on Friday. “But we know he’s coming back off the ACL. We got questions about the offense, you know, where the explosiveness is coming from on offense.”

Mahomes showed progress at OTAs, taking every dropback and 7-on-7 rep while continuing his rehab work. Reid praised his approach to recovery and said it has been a “pretty steady climb.”

While Mahomes has continued to make progress in his recovery, analysts believe Kansas City's success could still depend on how quickly he returns to full strength.

“I’m also concerned about Patrick Mahomes health. He’s aiming to be back in week one, but let’s say he’s not. You could start off on the wrong foot. I think the Justin Fields edition is going to be huge,” Sam Acho said on ESPN’s NFL Live (YouTube @ESPNNFL).

ACL injuries usually require about nine to 12 months of recovery. Mahomes will be around nine months into his rehab when the Chiefs open against Denver on Sept. 14. 

ESPN's Adam Schefter also questioned not whether Mahomes would play, but how effective he would be upon his return.

Even with all these problems, a new ranking shows the NFL still believes Reid can help the Chiefs bounce back.

Despite Patrick Mahomes' injury, Reid earns No. 1 coaching ranking

Andy Reid got strong support before the 2026 season. The Associated Press ranked him the NFL’s No. 1 coach for the fourth year in a row,

“Reid, who has three Super Bowl rings and leads both Kansas City and Philadelphia in all-time wins, received five first-place votes and one second,” wrote Rob Maaddi of Associated Press.

But that praise does not remove the pressure he faces as he tries to bring the Chiefs back from a 6-11 season with questions around his star quarterback.

Before that, Reid helped Kansas City to 12 straight winning seasons, 11 playoff appearances, nine straight AFC West titles, and five Super Bowl trips in six years.

Sean McVay finished second, while Mike Macdonald, Kyle Shanahan, and Sean Payton completed the top five. Reid’s No. 1 spot shows that one losing season did not erase what he built in Kansas City.

Reid's resume has already secured his place among the NFL's coaching greats, but his biggest challenge now is proving the Chiefs can contend again while Mahomes works his way back from a major injury.

Can Andy Reid guide another comeback while Mahomes works his way back this season? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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Written by

Shreya Mishra

Edited by

Rudra Dubey