Patrick Mahomes tears ACL in Chiefs’ loss to Chargers; Know the extent of Chiefs QB injury and when he will be back

Patrick Mahomes’ night ended in heartbreak as the Chiefs quarterback suffered an injury during Kansas City’s 13-16 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. An MRI has confirmed that Mahomes tore his left ACL during the Sunday night game, the team announced, NFL reported. In a statement, the Chiefs said Mahomes and the organization are currently evaluating surgical options. The defeat also officially knocked the Chiefs out of postseason contention, marking the first time in Mahomes’ eight-year career that Kansas City has failed to reach the playoffs and the franchise’s first elimination since 2014.


The setback ends an extraordinary run of success under Mahomes, who has been a model of consistency since taking over as the starting quarterback in 2018. According to Yahoo, Mahomes is in the sixth season of his 10-year, $450 million contract with Kansas City. He most recently won the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award in 2022 and has finished inside the top 10 in MVP voting in each of the past two seasons. Since becoming the Chiefs’ full-time starter, Mahomes has led the franchise to the AFC Championship Game every year, appearing in five Super Bowls and capturing three titles during his remarkable run at the helm.




HOW PATRICK MAHOMES SUFFERED INJURY

The injury occurred on the final drive as Mahomes scrambled to his right and threw the ball away. As he planted his left foot, Chargers defensive lineman Da’Shawn Hand brought him down, twisting his leg awkwardly. Mahomes immediately clutched his knee in pain and required assistance from trainers to leave the field and head to the locker room.

Mahomes, who had been managing a knee issue in recent weeks, endured relentless pressure from the Chargers’ defense even before the injury. Los Angeles’ pass rush repeatedly broke through the Chiefs’ protection, sacking the quarterback five times and delivering several additional hits.

According to Next Gen Stats, as reported by NFL, Mahomes was under pressure on 48.6% of his dropbacks, a season-high figure that underscored the constant harassment he faced throughout the game and set the tone for a difficult night that ultimately ended with his devastating knee injury.

"Don't know why this had to happen. And not going to lie it's hurts," Mahomes shared the message on the social media platform X just minutes before news of his torn ACL became public.

"But all we can do now is Trust in God and attack every single day over and over again. Thank you Chiefs kingdom for always supporting me and for everyone who has reached out and sent prayers. I Will be back stronger than ever."



WHEN WILL PATRICK MAHOMES BE BACK

Chiefs quarterback Mahomes will miss the rest of the season after tearing his ACL, the most commonly injured knee ligament. Such injuries typically require surgery, with recovery taking six to nine months. Most athletes make a full recovery and return to sports without long-term effects.