how long is mahomes out for
Patrick Mahomes is expected to miss the rest of the 2025 season but is currently projected to be back around the start of the 2026 NFL season, with some doubt about Week 1 specifically.
Quick Scoop: How long is Mahomes out for?
Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL (and also injured his LCL) in his left knee during the Chiefs’ Week 15 loss to the Chargers on December 14, 2025. He had reconstructive surgery the next day and was placed on injured reserve, officially ending his 2025 season.
What the timeline looks like
- The Chiefs and multiple reports have made it clear he will not return at any point in the 2025 season.
- Standard recovery from an ACL + LCL surgery is roughly 9–12 months.
- The 2026 NFL regular season is scheduled to kick off in early September 2026, which would put Mahomes at just under nine months post-surgery by Week 1.
- Because of that, some early reports questioned whether he would be ready right away for the opener.
However, recent updates from NFL insider Jay Glazer and others say Mahomes is ahead of schedule, already deep into rehab, and moving unusually well for this stage of recovery. There is growing optimism inside the Chiefs building that he will be available by the start, or at least early in, the 2026 season.
In forum terms: if you’re asking “how long is Mahomes out for,” the current working assumption is “out through 2025, back right around the start of 2026, with Week 1 still a tiny bit up in the air.”
Latest vibes and trending talk
On social and forums, the conversation is circling around a few points:
- Optimistic camp – Mahomes is a freak athlete, had surgery immediately, and was already rehabbing with 90-degree knee flexion within days, so people think he’ll beat the usual ACL timeline.
- Cautious camp – ACL + LCL is serious, and many argue the Chiefs should prioritize his long-term health over rushing him back for Week 1 in 2026.
- Team planning angle – Offseason chatter now focuses on the Chiefs’ backup QB situation and draft strategy, assuming they might need a strong fill‑in if Mahomes isn’t 100% in September 2026.
In short, from “today” in March 2026, you should think of him as out until at least late summer, with a realistic shot to be in uniform right around the 2026 season opener, but with no rock‑solid guarantee for Week 1 yet.
TL;DR:
- Out for the rest of 2025.
- Target: return around the start of the 2026 season.
- Week 1 2026: optimistic but not 100% locked in.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.