Patrick Mahomes: Always the goal to play Week 1, but it's a long ways away

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Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered a torn ACL in December. Perhaps surprisingly to some, Mahomes is already doing 7-on-7 work in Kansas City’s OTAs. Mahomes wants to be ready for Week 1, and there is a chance he’ll be able to do so. “ That’s always going to be the goal ,” Mahomes said in a Thursday press conference. “I don’t want to miss games. I mean, as a competitor, as a football player, I want to be there. I know it’s still a long ways away. I can’t predict the future. So, all I can do is be great today and then continue to be great tomorrow. But I’ve gotten to where I’ve gotten to because of that mindset. The goal at the end — the very far end — is to be ready and to able to go out there and play with the guys Week 1 at Arrowhead. But I’ve got to take it day by day.” Head coach Andy Reid said that the Chiefs are going to keep Mahomes out of team drills until the quarterback receives further medical clearance. But the head coach also noted how hard Mahoems has worked just to get to this point. “I like what I’ve seen,” Reid said. “This is good for him, getting out there and throwing — it’s good rehab, continued rehab, so he keeps a feel with the receivers. He’s doing partial practice. But it’s important. It’s important to keep his timing up. “He’s busted his tail to put himself in this position. Most guys wouldn’t be able to do this. But he’s put himself in that position. I know we’ve had good communication with the doctors, and they keep a close eye on it — what’s real and what’s not real. And then we listen to them.” Mahomes is wearing a brace on his knee to help protect him as he’s on the field. He said that’s not entirely unfamiliar to him, because it’s something he previously wore in college. “[I]t’s just kind of getting adjusted to it,” Mahomes said. “Obviously, I’m not running and cutting and doing all of that stuff in it yet. That’ll be another adjustment period at some point. But it’s good to get these reps now, so I can kind of speed that adjustment period along.” But running and cutting consistently will be Mahomes’ next steps, he said. “I’ve started that stuff,” Mahomes said. “But, until I’m able to protect myself and go out there and be there they’re going to keep me safe and not let me have the opportunity — as much as I want to be out there. But I think if I can continue to do the stuff the right way, that’s the hope, for me at least. All I can do is execute this next checkpoint of getting that cutting, being able to protect myself. … Then they’ll let me go out there and be a part of the team drills. And that’ll progress into games.” Still, Mahomes has made enough progress that playing Week 1 doesn’t seem far-fetched. That may surprise some, but it doesn’t surprise him. “Yeah, I mean, I wanted to play,” Mahomes said when asked if he thought he’d be this far in his rehab at this point. "I don’t want to miss games as much as possible. I know it’s not in my control. It’s in God’s control at some point. But I’m going to give myself a chance by the way I work to be the best I can be. “And so, I’m in a good spot now compared to where some people thought [I might be]. But I thought I was going to be here. So, it’s just doing what I’m supposed to be doing every single day. And hopefully, that gives me the chance to be out there with the guys whenever we start the season."