Patrick Mahomes Reportedly Starting Week 1 For Chiefs Barring Setback

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After nearly nine months on the training table, the wait is over. Two-time league MVP Patrick Mahomes is officially back for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Andy Reid told reporters Tuesday that Mahomes will start Monday against the Denver Broncos, provided there are no setbacks. The decision caps a remarkable recovery from the ACL and LCL tears Mahomes suffered against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15.

With multiple MVPs and three Super Bowl rings before turning 30, Mahomes has been an anomaly since taking over under center in Kansas City. Last year marked the first time in his career that the Chiefs missed the postseason, falling to a 6-11 record after his injury. 

Between key defensive roster changes and the arrival of Super Bowl MVP running back Kenneth Walker, Mahomes has a brand-new dynamic around him. With his return against the Broncos now locked in, all eyes shift to a high-stakes AFC West division battle.

Mahomes won’t just face a competitive division featuring quarterbacks like Justin Herbert and Bo Nix, but reclaiming the top spot will be a genuine challenge. The expectations only intensified after the Chiefs suffered their first losing season of the Mahomes-Reid era.

While Mahomes has provided steady leadership in recent years, the raw production hasn't matched the eye-popping numbers from earlier in his career. In 14 games last season, he completed 62.7% of his passes for 3,587 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.

With Mahomes set to return, all eyes will be on his potential bounce back to see how competitive the new-look Chiefs appear in a wide-open AFC conference.