Patrick Mahomes is showing signs that his surgically repaired left knee is becoming less of a restriction at Kansas City Chiefs training camp, but that progress may not convince Andy Reid to put his quarterback on the field this preseason. Mahomes said Saturday that he is beginning to have moments when he stops thinking about the knee and simply reacts to the play. That is an encouraging sign ahead of the Chiefs’ Sept. 14 opener against the Denver Broncos. Still, Kansas City appears ready to take the slower route, with Reid suggesting Mahomes could sit out the entire preseason for the first time in his NFL career.
Is Patrick Mahomes ready to play after his knee surgery?
Patrick Mahomes’ latest update suggests his recovery has reached an important stage. Rather than focusing on every movement, he is starting to trust the knee again.“It feels great,” Mahomes said, according to the team transcript. “When you’re tired sometimes, you don’t even think about [the knee]. I’m trying to protect it, but at the same time trying to push it and get myself ready to go for the season.”That balance has become the key issue for Mahomes. He entered camp determined to test his movement during 11-on-11 drills, but his competitive nature can make restraint difficult.“I try to be smart, but there’s just sometimes where, in camp, you’re trying to compete and practices are long,” Mahomes said. “I mean, you want to win the rep. There’s times where I do forget about it and just play football.”Friday’s padded practice offered a clear example. On a fourth-down play, Mahomes scrambled right, changed direction when rookie defensive tackle Peter Woods closed his path and attempted an underhand lateral to Kenneth Walker III while going down. Chris Roland-Wallace recovered the ball.“I’m not going to lose who I am, but I’m going to try to keep myself smart and keep myself in position to be out there for my teammates.”Mahomes later admitted he should have thrown the ball if he could not reach the first down.
Will Andy Reid rest Patrick Mahomes all preseason?
Reid appears willing to protect Mahomes even if the quarterback feels ready to test himself. Kansas City opens its preseason against the Los Angeles Rams on Aug. 15, and Reid said there is a “pretty good chance” Mahomes does not play.“[The] percentages are leading that way,” Reid said. “I don’t know if I’ll play him in the second or third game. I don’t know that. The percentages probably lean against not doing that.”That would be unusual. Mahomes has never missed an entire preseason during his nine-year NFL career. Yet he is leaving the decision firmly with Reid.“I’m for whatever Coach says,” Mahomes said. “I’m going to prepare to play.”If Mahomes remains sidelined, Justin Fields could receive valuable preseason work. Fields has already leaned on Mahomes to understand Kansas City’s offense, calling him a resource for the small details that come with years in the system.“I’m just trying to expand my horizon, do things I’ve never done before, the amount of concepts, the amount of actions, the amount of stuff we have in the offense,” Fields said. “I’m just trying to practice on that, and really emulate Pat.”For Kansas City, the bigger test may not be whether Mahomes can play in August. It is whether he can enter September healthy enough to play the way that makes him Mahomes.
