Even after being from different teams, Patrick Mahomes' reaction to Julian Edelman reflected appreciation for the former New England Patriots wide receiver.

 The 15 and Mahomies held an annual charity golf tournament from Thursday to Saturday last week, and Julian Edelman joined the charity event to support Mahomes.

On Saturday, he posted glimpses of the foundation with a caption, “Hanging with @15andmahomies.” In which Mahomes commented, expressing gratitude over Edelman's presence. 

“Appreciate you being there my man!” Mahomes wrote.

The Chiefs' star and Edelman first met in 2018. Talking about his first impression of Mahomes during the New Height Podcast with Kelce’s Brothers, when Mahomes was a backup to QB Alex Smith.

“He was like a kid,” Edelman said of the Chiefs QB. "And oh, he’s still the same way every time.”

During a debate on Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes, Edelman made it clear where he stood regarding the Chiefs' star. Speaking on The Dan Patrick Show in 2025, Edelman praised Mahomes’ greatness while pointing to longevity as the next step in the conversation. 

“He’s [Mahomes] just gotta do it for a long time,” the former WR said. "I'm as big of a Tom Brady guy as there is, and the only difference is the longevity. Tom had like three careers."

Their bond became more noticeable when Edelman joined efforts connected to Mahomes’ charity initiatives. Mahomes’ foundation hosts the tournament as part of its mission to support and improve the lives of children.

At the same time, discussions surrounding Mahomes are no longer limited to his off-field relationships, as analysts have also begun to closely examine what the Chiefs could achieve next season with their star quarterback expected to return.

Analysts Believe Chiefs Can Exceed Expectations With Patrick Mahomes

According to the Sporting News, Adam Schultz, after missing the playoffs for the first time since Mahomes became the starting quarterback, Kansas City spent the offseason reshaping parts of its roster.

That confidence largely comes from the belief that Mahomes could return early in the season. 

“With Mahomes expected to return by Week 1, Vegas expects the Chiefs to bounce back to championship-level contention in 2026," Fox Sports reported May 18.

The Chiefs remained competitive in several matchups, but repeated late-game losses hurt their record and eventually pushed them out of the playoff race. Mahomes’ ACL injury only added to the problems as the season moved toward its final stretch.

Even if Mahomes plays in Week 1, there is uncertainty about how comfortable he will look coming off a major injury. If his recovery takes longer than expected, the pressure could shift toward backup quarterback Justin Fields during the opening weeks.

However, he has been approaching the recovery process well with consistent workouts of 8-9 hours in the fifth month after the injury, which usually takes 9-12 months to recover.

If  Mahomes returns healthy, many around the league believe the Chiefs can cross the double-digit win mark and re-enter the postseason race.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Shreya Mishra

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore