Mahomes Confirmed to Start Chiefs' Opener After ACL, LCL Recovery
Andy Reid confirms his quarterback is ready for Arrowhead's Week 1 spotlight, nine months after major left-knee surgery.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has confirmed that quarterback Patrick Mahomes will start Kansas City's Week 1 Monday Night Football opener against the Denver Broncos on Sept. 14, nine months after Mahomes tore his ACL and LCL in his left knee during a frigid December game against the Chargers at Arrowhead. It marks one of the more remarkable injury recoveries in recent memory: Mahomes will make his return having sat out the entire preseason for the first time in his career, and he says he'll wear a brace on the knee but otherwise plans no limitations on how he plays.
Useful next steps
Kansas City also made a notable move on the roster's other end, cutting running back Emari Demercado during final roster cuts — a decision that clears the way for rookie Emmett Johnson to serve as the team's RB2, despite real questions about his pass-protection readiness at this stage. Kickoff at Arrowhead Stadium is set for 7:15 p.m. ET.
Mahomes, who turns 31 on Sept. 17, enters the opener with 35,939 career passing yards and 267 touchdowns across 126 games — but a torn ACL and LCL cut his 2025 season short at 3,587 yards and 22 touchdowns, ending in Week 15. Across the field, 26-year-old Broncos quarterback Bo Nix will be testing a Kansas City pass defense that allowed only two 300-yard passing games all of last season. Mahomes himself has downplayed any hesitation about the knee, saying the approach is simply to "go out there and be yourself" after building up the strength through months of rehab, while staying mindful about avoiding unnecessary hits early in his return.
"I like the way he's progressed here. Coming off the knee, and every day he's gotten better and stronger, and his endurance is better… I think he'll be fine going into this game." He added that Mahomes "doesn't have a brace on his leg and everything looks normal, running around the same way he's always done and throwing the way he's always done."— Andy Reid, 68, Chiefs head coach
Not everyone is convinced. FOX Sports analyst Henry McKenna has been openly skeptical of Kansas City's ceiling this season with Mahomes still working back:
"I don't see Patrick Mahomes, with the ACL recovery, carrying his team like he normally does."— Henry McKenna, FOX Sports NFL analyst
Mahomes' road back to Arrowhead
Mahomes tears his ACL and LCL in his left knee.
Chiefs release RB Emari Demercado, opening a path for rookie Emmett Johnson.
Chiefs host the Broncos in a 7:15 p.m. ET Monday Night Football opener at Arrowhead.
That skepticism shows up in the betting market, too — Caesars Sports says there's been unusually heavy action on Kansas City's Under 10.5 win total this year, a split head of football trading Joey Feazel called "not normally what you see with the Chiefs." Our take: bet on Reid's program to round back into form by December, but don't be surprised if this offense looks rusty for the first month while Mahomes shakes nine months of rust out of his surgically repaired knee.
Week 1 Prediction: Score, Spread & Player Prop
Chiefs -3 (-105) favorites at home over Denver, per DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM.
Total sits at 42.5, down from an opening 43.5. Our pick: Chiefs 24, Broncos 17 (Under).
Travis Kelce OVER 39.5 receiving yards. Kelce projects for his usual target share right out of the gate with Mahomes back under center against a Broncos defense that gave up the second-most yards to tight ends in the league last season.
Odds and props reflect market consensus across DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and Caesars as of this week — lines move, so check your own sportsbook before kickoff.
Nine months of rehab come down to one Monday night under the lights at Arrowhead.
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Sources: Chiefs.com, AtoZ Sports, Fox4KC, Pro-Football-Reference, ESPN Betting