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Patrick Mahomes will get a second opinion on his torn left ACL before having surgery, Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Monday, and it remains unclear whether the two-time MVP quarterback will be available by the start of next season.
Mahomes tore the knee ligament when he was spun to the ground while trying to keep Kansas City’s postseason hopes alive in a 16-13 loss to the Chargers on Sunday. The team confirmed his ACL tear a few hours after the game.
A source told the Associated Press on Monday that another of the league’s stars, Green Bay pass rusher Micah Parsons, also tore his ACL on Sunday, during his team’s loss to the Broncos.
“I may be sidelined, but I am not defeated,” Parsons said on Monday in a social media post. “This injury is my greatest test – a moment God allowed to strengthen my testimony. I believe HE walks with me through this storm and chose me for this fight because He knew my heart could carry it. I’m deeply grateful to the Packers organization and my teammates for their unwavering support, love and belief in me during this season. I trust His timing, His plan and His purpose. I will rise again. I love y’all!”
The defeat to the Chargers means the Chiefs will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2014.
Mahomes is scheduled to see Dr Dan Cooper, a highly regarded orthopedist and the team physician of the Dallas Cowboys, before the procedure to repair the ligament. The decision to seek a second opinion is merely to confirm the next steps in the quarterback’s recovery process.
“I’ve had a good visit with him, a couple of different times. He’s in a good place,” Reid said on a Zoom call Monday. “You know, he always feels like he let people down, but he comes back and he’s ready for the challenge ahead, which is what is real right now. He’s just got to get through surgery, whenever it might be, and then move on from there.”
There are a number of factors that go into how long the recovery time will be, including the severity of the ACL tear and whether any other damage occurred within the knee. Most players are able to return to the field in six to 12 months.
“I think he’ll attack it, just like he does everything else,” Reid said. “There have been some pretty good quarterbacks that have had the same injury and done pretty well after they came back. He’ll get after it, and he’s got good people here to rehab him.”
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow toe the ACL and MCL in his left knee in November 2020 but returned to play the following season, and he was voted the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year. Colts quarterback Daniel Jones tore his right ACL in November 2023 when he was with the Giants, and he came back to start Week 1 the following season.
The Chiefs do not have another quarterback besides Mahomes signed for next season, so the last three weeks of this season could be an audition for veteran backup Gardner Minshew, who finished out the loss to the Chargers on Sunday.
He completed three straight passes before an interception on a throw intended for Travis Kelce effectively ended the game.
“I’ve got a ton of confidence in Gardner,” Reid said. “I’ve watched him play with these other teams. He’s started in the league. Our guys have confidence in him, and Chris Oladokun behind him will work, and he’s been with us a while. Those are two guys we trust.”
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