Patrick Mahomes' Season-Ending Injury, Explained

In a December 2025 game against the Chargers, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes ran toward the sidelines when his legs were wrapped up by defensive lineman Da'Shawn Hand. Mahomes crashed to the ground and immediately hugged his leg to his chest. When he was slow to get up, medical staff swarmed him, and the two-time Super Bowl Champion was walked off the field. 

Hours later, the Chiefs announced that an MRI revealed Mahomes had torn the ACL in his left knee.  The star quarterback eventually opted for surgery, telling fans through an X post prior to the medical operation, "I Will be back stronger than ever." During the surgery, doctors discovered that the football player had also torn his LCL in his left knee during the play. The operation reportedly was successful, and Mahomes is set to begin recovery immediately with rehabilitation for that knee. Though there is no rush for Mahomes to rejoin his teammates on the field as the Chiefs were eliminated from the playoffs after their loss against the Chargers, his tear has been labeled as a season-ending injury. 

With a typical ACL tear recovery plan being around nine months, it's hoped that the quarterback will return to the field for the 2026-2027 season. The Chiefs player is definitely not the first of his sport to face such an impactful injury, with plenty of other players, like Joe Burrow, Tom Brady, and Saquon Barkley, ending their seasons early due to this common football injury. 

An ACL, or the anterior cruciate ligament, is a thick band of connective tissue that's tucked between the bones of the knee. Its job is to connect the femur (that's your thigh bone) to the tibia (your shinbone). Unlike an ACL, the LCL is connective tissue on the outside of your knee. Formally known as the lateral collateral ligament, this tissue performs the same job as the ACL, connecting the femur to the tibia. 

Tears to these tissues happen from sudden twisting movements in the knee that cause the muscle to tear, which is common for people in Patrick Mahomes' position. As a football player, the athlete is frequently subjected to tackling, shoving, and running. In the event of this type of injury, surgery is crucial because of how complicated ACL tears are to mend. The muscle tissue doesn't naturally regrow but rather requires invasive operations to see a fuller recovery. Similarly, LCLs are also open to injury from the physicality of an athlete's job. 

Though not as common, LCL tears are just as dangerous as ACL tears and can affect the knee and leg. And because of their similar makeup, they too often require surgical attention when torn, if considered severe. Individuals who have torn their ACL or LCL are often alerted by the sound of popping, followed by knee swelling and instability.