Popular Football Doc Reveals Harsh Injury Update For Patrick Mahomes Ahead Of The 2026 Season
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
Reputable sports doctor David Chao has shared his professional opinion on Patrick Mahomes and the likelihood of the quarterback playing in Week 1 next season.
The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback suffered a torn ACL and LCL against the Los Angeles Chargers in mid-December.
He has made no secret of the fact that he intends to be ready for the Chiefs‘ opener next season. They are scheduled to begin 2026 on ‘Monday Night Football,’ with the rival Denver Broncos set to visit on September 14.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter recently revealed that the QB was ahead of schedule in his recovery. Even so, Chao has cast doubt on a potential Week 1 return.
The former NFL surgeon took to social media to share his prognosis, suggesting that the Chiefs would not have made a decision on Mahomes’ availability at this point in the offseason.
David Chao Downplays Patrick Mahomes Golf Endeavors
Chao claimed it would be impossible for Mahomes to be back to full fitness by mid-September, despite his swing suggesting otherwise.
Mahomes recently posted a clip of himself playing golf, prompting some optimism among fans.
However, according to Chao, the Chiefs would be taking a massive risk playing the three-time Super Bowl champion at the soonest opportunity. He also noted that Mahomes’ mobility would be limited.
“Phillip Rivers, whom I did surgery on, returned to minicamp in 100 days,” Chao said. “He had his record QB rating that season, yet he wasn’t 100 percent at the start of the season. And he’s nowhere as mobile as Patrick Mahomes is.”
You can listen to his full explanation in the video below:
Last month, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid told reporters that Mahomes might be healthy enough to attend training in May.
“He is in a good position to be able to do some things. There’s some rules and regulations that go with that, so we got to just make sure that we’re on top of that part,” Reid said.
The Chiefs will begin their OTAs on May 26.
They will also host mandatory minicamp from June 9-11.
