What Chiefs’ early prime-time schedule means for Patrick Mahomes’ knee recovery timeline originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Besides giving NFL fans a glimpse of who their teams will be playing and when, Kansas City Chiefs fans may have just gotten a massive clue about when the NFL thinks Patrick Mahomes may return.
During Week 15 last season, the quarterback went down immediately, grabbing at the back of his left knee. Anyone who watches sports knows this almost always means a torn ACL, and that it was. The star was sidelined for the remainder of the 2025-26 disappointing Chiefs campaign with a scary injury.
However, eagle-eyed schedule viewers may have noticed that Kansas City has prime-time games in Weeks 1 and 2 this season. The NFL most likely would not have gifted Justin Fields these time slots, so many have started to believe Mahomes will potentially make his Arrowhead return in either Week 1 or 2.
Here’s how Kansas City’s schedule may hint at where their franchise quarterback is on his recovery timeline.
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When will Patrick Mahomes return?
While nothing is set in stone on a Mahomes return date, the quarterback has shown that he is progressing well. On March 25, the star posted a video of himself dropping back to throw a pass during a workout. Here is the video.
Patrick Mahomes just posted this video of him throwing on his IG story! 👀⏰ pic.twitter.com/8d6VYNYx58
— Chiefstalk (@Chiefstalk_) March 25, 2026
Many NFL fans have speculated that Mahomes will be able to return at the start of the season after the NFL gifted the Chiefs two prime-time games in the first two weeks of the 2026-27 season. However, with no formal announcement just yet, football fans will have to wait a bit until they can be guaranteed to see Mahomes back on the gridiron.
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Patrick Mahomes knee recovery timeline
Traditionally, it takes the average quarterback around a year to come back from a torn ACL injury, according to a 2022 study in the National Library of Medicine. However, with Mahomes’ name value and modern-day medicinal and recovery strategies, that return time can be expedited.
In 2024, WR Stefon Diggs tore his ACL during Week 8 of that season. Around nine months later, the receiver was fully cleared to return to training camp prior to the next season.
If Mahomes needs nine months to fully recover like Diggs, he would be slated to return for Week 2 on September 13. Kansas City’s quarterback fell injured during Week 15 against the Los Angeles Chargers on December 14.
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What Chiefs 2026 schedule says about Patrick Mahomes return?
With Kansas City beginning its 2026 season with two games slated for primetime, the NFL may subtly be stating its belief in Mahomes’ ability to suit up for these games. The Chiefs are a very different team with and without their star quarterback.
If Mahomes’ forecast was shaping up to be unable to suit up for Week 1 against the Broncos on Monday night, the league most likely would not have gifted Kansas City the first “Monday Night Football” game of the season. However, with the schedule makers giving them a Monday night and Sunday night game back-to-back, the league must be under the impression that the three-time Super Bowl winner will run out of the Arrowhead Stadium tunnel.
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