Patrick Mahomes, the new star quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs, is back on the gridiron! He previously fought through a knee injury that forced him to miss two games earlier in the season. Fans and analysts received his return with excitement. The ramifications of his injury and the team’s subsequent playoff exit have raised plenty of red flags. Similar to the Chiefs, the Niners went through their own share of old QB reclamation projects. Instead, they fought just to stay alive in the playoff race.
Once he got back on the field, Mahomes showed why he’s the most entertaining and dangerous player in the league. He struggled to keep his performance up while competing with a persistent injury. Read on to learn about Mahomes’ knee injury, key measures of his performance metrics, and how this will all affect the Chiefs’ season as a whole.
Mahomes’ Injury and Return
Patrick Mahomes’ knee injury, which caused him to miss 2 key games, put the Chiefs in a vulnerable position. Before this injury, Mahomes was averaging 2.5 scrambles per game during the regular season prior to 2025. His capacity to evade pressure has defined his playing style. In the postseason, this number jumped to an average of 3.3 scrambles per game.
On his return, Mahomes displayed his signature evasive brilliance, dodging defenders from the pocket scrambling towards the end zone. This type of play really raises the ceiling for him. Yet, at the same time, it exposes him to increased risk of subsequent injury. These obstacles aside, Mahomes showed his toughness, coming back with that familiar, killer instinct aggressiveness we’ve all grown to love from the former MVP.
The stark reality of his fate hung over the ceremony. As you may know, he was lost to a season-ending knee injury earlier this season. The signing of Gardner left questions about his effectiveness heading into the playoffs, especially after this injury. The Chiefs were already in bad shape, and Mahomes’ health was the main storyline of their season.
Playoff Prospects Diminished
The Chiefs came into the playoffs with the longest of longshot playoff hopes, becoming even more unlikely after Mahomes was injured. The team had already gone through a number of veteran QB stop gaps as they attempted to find any semblance of stability to their roster. Alas, these efforts were not enough, and the Chiefs were eventually knocked out of playoff contention.
Head Coach Andy Reid’s usual strategy of opening up the passing game and attacking deep was not working. He wasn’t the first to implement the use of larger formations. He was quick to adopt 12 personnel packages to improve pass protection and create running lanes. These tweaks weren’t nearly enough to get the ship sailing back on course for a team that, even then, had issues remaining stuck in second gear.
The Chiefs’ offensive struggles were compounded by Travis Kelce‘s contract situation. With his contract up after this year, Kelce was thinking seriously about calling it a career before returning for one last go-round. His lack of a clear plan going forward only deepened the conundrum within an otherwise tumultuous campaign for Kansas City.
Looking Ahead
As the Chiefs reflect on their season and prepare for what comes next, it is evident that meaningful changes may be necessary. Expending resources to create more depth at offensive tackle simply seemed unrealistic under the current circumstances the team finds itself in. It will require a deep re-thinking of their roster construction in order for the Chiefs to contend meaningfully over the next few seasons.
Most importantly, Mahomes needs to be able to recover from his knee injury. Returning to the map is imperative for him and his future as he looks ahead to next season. His capacity for success under pressure has made him one of the best quarterbacks in football. New and persistent health issues could derail his career.
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