Patrick Mahomes returns to Kansas City Chiefs starting lineup for 2026 season
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 10, 2026, 12:31 PM
Last updated Sep 10, 2026
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is set to start in Week One following a recovery from a torn ACL sustained during the 2025 season. The Chiefs finished 6-11 last year, missing the playoffs for the first time after a run of three consecutive Super Bowl appearances. Mahomes, who struggled with efficiency in 2025 before his injury, enters the new season as a favorite for the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award according to league executive and scout projections. The team signed Justin Fields during the offseason to serve as a placeholder, but the organization confirmed that Fields will move into a backup role as Mahomes returns to the field. Kansas City aims to improve upon their 2025 performance and reclaim their position in the AFC division standings.
- •Patrick Mahomes is cleared to start for the Kansas City Chiefs in Week One.
- •The quarterback missed the end of the 2025 season due to a torn ACL.
- •Justin Fields will serve as the primary backup quarterback for the team.
- •NFL scouts and executives identified Mahomes as a candidate for Comeback Player of the Year.
- •Kansas City finished the previous season with a 6-11 record and failed to reach the playoffs.
- 12:31 PMYahoo Sports — Kansas City Chiefs: Patrick Mahomes predicted to win 2026 NFL award after startling injury recovery
"To say that 2025 was a major disappointment for the Kansas City Chiefs would be a serious understatement. Heading into last season, the Chiefs had appeared in three consecutive Super Bowls, winning two of them. Obviously, they were expected to once again be serious contenders in the AFC last year due to their near-historic run […] The post Kansas City Chiefs: Patrick Mahomes predicted to win 2026 NFL award after startling injury recovery appeared first on Gridiron Heroics.
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