Patrick Mahomes Cleared for Week 1 Comeback After Major Knee

Patrick Mahomes is officially back. The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback has no injury designation and will start Monday night against the Denver Broncos, fully cleared nine months after tearing his ACL and LCL.

All signs point to yes. Mahomes was a full participant in practices leading up to Week 1 and the team has removed any injury status for him. His comeback launch is set for Monday, September 14, 2026, against the reigning AFC West champion Broncos. The quarterback himself has expressed a desire to move past the injury, reportedly saying, 'Hopefully I'm done with questions about the leg.' He faces a tough test immediately, as the Chiefs' offensive line will start undrafted free agent Kahlil Benson at left tackle.

Betting markets see a massive bounce-back year. Mahomes is the frontrunner for the Comeback Player of the Year award at +200 odds, according to analysis from Forbes. He's also considered a top wager for the 2026 NFL MVP. This optimism stems from his return to an upgraded Chiefs offense and his proven track record when healthy. Last season was a major outlier. The Chiefs went 6-11, missed the playoffs for the first time since 2014, and saw their nine-year AFC West title streak end. Mahomes posted his worst passing numbers since 2018, throwing for 3,587 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions over 14 starts before the knee injury ended his year in Week 15.

Financially, he is set for life in Kansas City. Over the offseason, Mahomes and the Chiefs restructured his deal into a massive eight-year, $504 million contract that runs through the 2033 season. He has already earned $232 million over nine NFL seasons. Off the field, his brand partnerships are thriving as he returns to action. He revealed continued work with State Farm, a new signature sunglasses line with Oakley, and a commercial with his wife Brittany for CommunityAmerica Credit Union. An Adidas hype video essentially confirmed his Week 1 status.

A proprietary metric called QB Impact Score, which grades passers on a 50 to 100 scale, placed Mahomes 11th among eligible players for the 2025 season with a score of 79.0. This was below contemporaries like Brock Purdy (85.5) and Jordan Love (85.1), and just ahead of Lamar Jackson (77.7). The top-rated quarterback was Drake Maye at 91.8. The table below shows last season's top five in that metric.

• Key Takeaways
• Mahomes is cleared to start Week 1 on Monday, September 14, 2026, against Denver.
• He is the betting favorite for Comeback Player of the Year at +200 odds.
• His restructured contract is worth $504 million over eight years.
• The Chiefs are coming off a 6-11 season where they missed the playoffs.

Now 31 years old, the three-time Super Bowl MVP begins his tenth season with a singular goal: returning the Chiefs to the top. His performance Monday night will be the first major step.