The Kansas City Chiefs are hoping Patrick Mahomes is going to be back on the field in Week 1.
They made a move to get Justin Fields ready just in case, but they fully expect their MVP to be back to 100 percent.
That said, he’s coming off the first major injury of his career. As such, they don’t want to rush his progress or put him in harm’s way.
Considering that, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid confirmed that, despite his progress and doing well, they will err on the side of caution with him.
The Chiefs won’t rush Patrick Mahomes
“He goes to meetings, he can lift, do all of that, rehab,” Reid told the media via KSHB 41. “That’s the phase he is in right now, so we’ll just see, kind of play it by ear and see where he is at. He’s doing great, but we just have to be smart with this thing.”
The Chiefs have picks Nos. 9 and 29 in this year’s NFL Draft, and they will probably use at least one to address their need for protection.
They cut ties with veteran RT Jawaan Taylor earlier in the offseason, and they need someone reliable to start opposite Josh Simmons.
Mahomes seems to be ahead of schedule in his recovery, and the fact that he’s already doing so much is clearly a great sign.
That said, the Chiefs can see and appreciate the bigger picture, and they know there’s zero gain in rushing him back to the field and risking further injury.