Overview
- Head coach Andy Reid has signaled there is a strong chance Mahomes will not play in the preseason, with the club prepared to give Justin Fields and rookie Garrett Nussmeier extended live reps.
- Mahomes has been fully cleared for full participation in training camp after passing a demanding physical test administered by team surgeon Dr. Dan Cooper and is taking 11-on-11 reps while wearing a protective knee brace.
- The quarterback, who tore his left ACL and LCL in December 2025 and had surgery soon after, says his knee “feels great” and that he sometimes forgets about the injury during practice, but he will defer the final playing decision to coaches and doctors.
- Kansas City is using day-to-day medical monitoring, limited game exposure and roster depth moves to reduce reinjury risk and protect Mahomes’ availability for the regular-season opener on Sept. 14 against Denver.
- Mahomes’ clearance about seven months after a combined ACL/LCL repair is ahead of typical nine- to twelve-month timelines, which helps explain the team’s unusually cautious plan and the added emphasis on evaluating backups and preserving the quarterback for the season.