Patrick Mahomes Tore His ACL. A Physical Therapist Breaks Down the Recovery Timeline and Rehab Demands
It's the injury every athlete dreads: a torn ACL. Over the weekend, Kansas City Chiefs' star quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered a devastating knee injury late in the game. In the final two minutes, Mahomes rolled to his right near the line of scrimmage and was brought down by Los Angeles Chargers' Da’Shawn Hand, with his knee appearing to buckle on contact. He collapsed to the turf, clutching his left knee in pain.
An MRI later confirmed the worst-case scenario: Mahomes had torn his ACL. He quickly underwent knee surgery just days later, beginning what is expected to be a lengthy rehabilitation process. In addition to the torn ACL repair, a league source told ESPN that Mahomes also required a torn LCL repair during surgery.
The ACL, or anterior cruciate ligament, is one of the main stabilizing ligaments in the knee. It helps control the forward movement of the shin and rotational stability, which is crucial for cutting, pivoting, and sudden stops. The LCL, or lateral collateral ligament, runs along the outside of the knee and helps stabilize it against outward stress. When either ligament is torn, athletes experience major instability.
How Long Does It Take to Recover From an ACL Injury?
Mahomes underwent knee surgery this week following his injury on Sunday, performed by Dallas Cowboys' head team physician Dan Cooper, MD. The Chiefs confirmed he will begin rehabilitation as soon as possible. Still, ACL injuries are notorious for their long recovery timelines, requiring patience and commitment throughout rehab.
"A typical ACL recovery timeline is at least 12 months and very often can take longer than that," Tommy Mandala, DPT, of All in ACL tells Men's Journal. "While nine months is the absolute minimum that an athlete should return to their sport, the reality is that most athletes are not ready to pass return to sport criteria at that time."
Mahomes is out for the rest of the 2025 NFL season. He will also miss the Chiefs' offseason program, and his availability for the start of next season remains in question.
ACL Injury Recovery Timeline
After knee surgery, ACL rehab begins with basic passive range of motion exercises along with some easy muscle activation exercises. This progresses into a more robust strengthening program that starts with machine-based exercises before progressing to more functional body weight exercises.
"Athletes will then progress into a comprehensive barbell training program that rebuilds the strength they will need to return to jumping and running," Mandala says. "This progression moves from a straight line jogging program into a more sport-specific plyometric and agility program designed to prepare the athlete for cutting and pivoting, changing direction, and single-leg jumping."
While it may seem straightforward in theory, ACL rehab is often one of the toughest mental challenges an athlete can face. The long timeline and slow progression can test even the most resilient individuals. Still, Mahomes expressed confidence that he’ll return stronger, and the Chiefs share that sentiment.
"He'll attack it, just like he does everything else," said Chiefs coach Andy Reid, per ESPN. "There have been some pretty good quarterbacks who have had the same injury, and they've done pretty well after they came back. He'll get after it, and he's got good people here to rehab him. He'll be right on top of all of that."
NFL ACL Injuries 2025
Mahomes isn't the only one dealing with an ACL injury. Several NFL players have suffered torn ACLs this season, including:
- Micah Parsons, Green Bay Falcons
- Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons
- Teddye Buchanan, Baltimore Ravens
- Nick Gargiulo, Denver Broncos
- Malik Nabers, New York Giants
Unfortunately, no one is safe from ACL tears. Even Tom Brady tore his ACL in the opening game of the 2008 NFL season. On the Let’s Go! podcast, Brady shared his advice for Mahomes.
"I think you got to get through rehab mode as fast as possible, and then you get back to training mode," he said. "But that requires an all-out commitment, and it's the same commitment that the great professional athletes make to be great at their profession. When you go through the rehab process, you need that same level of focus and determination. It's a tough rehab. It's one of the toughest rehabs."
Symptoms of ACL Injury
The most common sign of an ACL tear is the classic "pop" that athletes report feeling and often hearing. Typically, there will be some instability, as if the knee will give out, even if you're able to walk directly after the injury.
While these are the classic symptoms, the only way to truly confirm an ACL tear is through an MRI.