Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been recovering from a knee injury all offseason, but things have taken a turn.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid announced on Friday that Mahomes is cleared for training camp, which begins next week. Mahomes sustained the ACL tear in Week 15 against the Los Angeles Chargers last season.
“Pat’s doing great with his [rehab],” Reid told reporters. “Right now he’s got clearance to practice and do all the different periods that we have in this camp.
“We’ll just take it day by day and see how he does. He’ll have plenty of eyes on him from coaches to trainers to doctors,” Reid added. “But right now, he’s been cleared to go ahead and participate fully.”
This means Mahomes will have his regular reps at camp. How much Mahomes will play in the preseason and if he will start Week 1 are unknown.
“I’m optimistic, and I know he is extremely optimistic,” Reid said. “But I think you’ve got to see how things go here.
“Let’s just see where we’re at and not make any predictions or anything else,” Reid added. “Take it day by day and see where it goes.”
Chiefs quarterbacks and rookies arrived on Friday, and the rest of the team will begin camp on July 28. It’s a standard practice in the NFL to get more reps for the quarterbacks.
“It was always the goal to be able to practice when we got to training camp, so we kind of hit that next step, and now it’s going to be about building and keep getting better and better so that whenever the regular season comes along I can try to be available and ready to play,” Mahomes told reporters on Friday.
Mahomes had surgery on Dec. 15, 2025, the day after the loss to the Chargers. He has been on track for recovery, a process that usually lasts nine months, which was likely to push him past a Week 1 return date.
That said, Mahomes had been vocal about wanting to be back for the opener against the Denver Broncos on Sept. 14. Denver claimed the AFC West title last year, and Mahomes and the Chiefs are eager to take it back.
“It’s a long process,” Mahomes said. “I remember sitting on the table and watching us play those last few games, how much it hurt me, but I knew that if I continued to work, I could be at this spot where I can get cleared for practice.
“Now I’m trying just get to that spot where I’m cleared to play in the regular season in that first week,” he added.
Reid praised Mahomes for his dedication toward recovery, and the longtime coach knew painfully well how urgent it was for Mahomes to recover in time for the 2026 season. The Chiefs slid without Mahomes under center late in the season, losing the final three games.
“He’s been up here every day, doing his thing, rehabbing. I mentioned before how much time he spent—if anybody spent time doing this thing the right way, he’s it,” Reid said. “We appreciate that.
“And he’s been given clearance by the doctors to work,” Reid added. “And they’re pretty comfortable with that. But keeping an eye on him.”
Rashee Rice Cleared for Camp
The Chiefs also had additional good news on Friday with wide receiver Rashee Rice also being cleared for training camp. Rice had been dealing with a knee injury.
“Rashee Rice, with his knee debridement, is doing great,” Reid said. “So he will, again, go. We'll keep an eye on him, but he’s cleared to go.
“He’s done a great job rehabbing up here,” Reid added. “He’s been up here the whole time. He'll be in and out here in the next couple of days, but he’s been here throughout.”
