Perhaps Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is superhuman.
Mahomes suffered a torn ACL/LCL in his left knee during a 16-13 home loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Dec. 14, 2025. It can take up to a year to recover from the injury. However, like Marvel superhero Wolverine, the QB heals rapidly.
Mahomes shared a video of himself throwing a football at a training facility on Wednesday. Aside from a compression sleeve on his left leg, you wouldn’t have guessed it’s been over 100 days since he suffered the injury.
“Day by Day,” Mahomes wrote (h/t ESPN). “Great being able to throw around the ball today.”
When could Patrick Mahomes be available for the Chiefs?
In January, Mahomes revealed he’s aiming to return for Week 1 of the 2026 season.
“I want to be ready for Week 1. The doctors said I could, but I can’t predict what happens throughout the process,” the QB said. “That’s the goal, to play Week 1 and have no restrictions. You want to be out there healthy and give us the best chance to win. I hope to do some things in OTAs and training camp and be able to do things there.”
Dr. Dan Cooper, who performed Mahomes’ surgery, said the tear was “clean,” making the surgery easier and allowing Mahomes to recover faster. Still, he probably didn’t anticipate him progressing this quickly.
That may allow Mahomes to achieve his goal of playing in Week 1. Per ESPN’s Nate Taylor, the Chiefs expect him to do light work in the team’s voluntary offseason practices, which are slated to begin in May.
If Mahomes can’t go Week 1, the Chiefs will likely roll with backup QB Justin Fields (acquired in a trade with the New York Jets this offseason). Kansas City may get to a slow start if the 2021 first-round pick is at the helm.
Fields posted a subpar 38.7 QBR in nine games with the Jets last season. Mahomes, meanwhile, ranked sixth in the league in QBR (68.5 in 14 games).
But if Mahomes returns, the Chiefs can look forward to more no-look passes and other throws from various arm angles. Pair that with the speedy recovery, and that may leave the team and its fans wondering if he’s bionic.