KANSAS CITY, Mo. — KSHB 41 reporter Tod Palmer covers sports business and eastern Jackson County, including Independence. Share your story idea with Tod.
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Last season wasn’t much fun for the Kansas City Chiefs, and the rehab process for Patrick Mahomes, who suffered a season-ending injury in mid-December last year, was more arduous than enjoyable.
Mahomes, a three-time Super Bowl MVP and two-time league MVP, has grown up before Chiefs Kingdom’s eyes since he joined the franchise as a first-round pick in April 2017. He’s been carefree and easygoing most of that time, but there was a tension last season as things went sideways three plays into a season-opening loss against the Los Angeles Chargers in Brazil.
That made it striking Monday night to see the smile on Mahomes’ face and the joy as he spoke after the Chiefs shredded the reigning AFC West champion Denver Broncos before a national television audience to open the 2026 season.
It took Mahomes a half to settle in throwing the football, but he lit the candle for a 31-10 victory with a 15-yard scramble for touchdown on the offense’s first drive.
“It gave me that confidence I could go out there and be myself,” he said.
Mahomes and the Chiefs had preached caution.
After all, the face of the franchise, arguably the most important sports figure in Kansas City history, was nine months removed to the day from tearing the ACL and LCL in his left knee on Dec. 15, 2025, when he took the field for Monday Night Football.
But Andy Reid knew there was no shackling his all-world quarterback — who split a pair of Broncos pass rushers, outran two more, then squeezed between two Denver safeties, bouncing off Brandon Jones as he dove like Superman to stretch the football across the goal line.
“Once you put him in the game, he’s going to play, so you’d better be confident with that,” Reid said. “... He kept saying he wanted to get that one hit and he would be right back in the flow. I’m not sure I agree with that part, but that’s kind of how it worked.”
MAHOMES WITH HIS LEGS 😤 pic.twitter.com/9OQ4v2ugZZ
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) September 15, 2026
There were clearly nerves — even after Mahomes absorbed that first hit.
Reid said he blamed himself for Mahomes’ sluggish start — he only completed two of his first 12 passes — but the QB knew better.
He admitted that he “tried to force a few things” and tended to over-stride, which he seemed to indicate was an expected part of the recovery process.
“I’ve got to be better,” Mahomes said. “At the end of the day, I have to be better. There were times when those guys were open and I was a little quick with my reads and getting the ball out of my hand. I have to have the trust in the offensive line and the trust in myself that I can stay in and take the hits.”
Notably, Mahomes said he wants to connect on a few more deep shots.
Kenneth Walker III's incredible debut will force defenses to play Kansas City different than in years past, so the downfield threat should be available again for Mahomes.
“There were some people, if I would have just gotten to my second or third read, they were open, especially early in the game,” he said. “... That will come with more trust in me and trust in the knee, and then trust in the offensive line to make those protections.”
Mahomes completed 13 of his last 15 passes after settling down, finishing 15 of 27 for 184 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He had picked up 23 yards on seven carries, including his 20th career rushing touchdown.
“I just wanted to play,” Mahomes said. “I had done so much rehab and so much work to put myself in this position. I just wanted to get out there, play; this is what you do that for.”
With that box checked, he’ll look to continue rekindling the iconic Mahomes Magic that fueled his rise from gravel-voiced rookie to global superstar.
“There’s more,” Reid said. “We can do more. We just have to clean a couple things up there.”
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