Patrick Mahomes makes his triumphant arrival ahead of his first start for Chiefs since horrific knee injury

Patrick Mahomes is officially back.

The three-time Super Bowl MVP was pictured strolling in at Arrowhead Stadium for Monday's season opener against the visiting Denver Broncos just nine months after a knee injury ended his 2025 season.

The torn ACL and LCL in Mahomes' 30-year-old left knee could have taken a year or longer to heal. Instead, Mahomes rehabbed relentlessly in an exhaustive effort to return for Week 1.

And after escaping training camp and the preseason without any setbacks, Mahomes' remarkable comeback is finally complete.

'It's incredible,' Chiefs general manager Brett Veach told ESPN of Mahomes' recovery. 'That's a guy that defines what leadership and what the face of a franchise should look like. He gave up an entire summer. He just attacked [the rehab]. Everybody in the building sees it. The level of sacrifice is something that has been an example throughout the entire organization.'

The foremost reason for Mahomes' expedited recovery was his decision to have knee surgery immediately after suffering the injury in December. So while he was disappointed to be sidelined as the Chiefs were missing the playoffs for the first time since 2014, he was already booking a flight to Dallas for the procedure.  

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