When the President of the United States starts asking Kansas City BBQ owners about your health, you know you are more than just a football player. That is exactly the world Patrick Mahomes lives in right now — and the latest chapter in his comeback story is one of the most talked-about storylines in the NFL today.
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Trump Steals the Spotlight at a White House BBQ Moment
President Donald Trump hosted Kansas City brothers Mike and Joe Pearce, owners of Slap’s BBQ, at the White House on Monday during a Small Business Summit attended by more than 130 small business owners from across the country. But while the event was meant to spotlight American small businesses, the sports-fan-in-chief quickly steered the conversation toward his concern for the Chiefs quarterback.
While speaking with the Pearce brothers, Trump asked the question on every Chiefs fan’s mind: “Most importantly, how is Mahomes doing?” The brothers responded without hesitation, “He’s going to be okay,” prompting Trump to reply warmly, “You tell the people we love him.”
Trump and the BBQ owners then went back and forth debating whether Mahomes would actually be ready to start in Week 1 of the upcoming NFL season. It was an unscripted, genuine moment that underscored just how much public attention surrounds one of football’s biggest names.
The Mahomes family has long had ties to Trump. The quarterback’s mother Randi, wife Brittany, and brother Jackson are all known supporters of the president. Trump has publicly praised the family on multiple occasions, making the White House exchange feel like a natural extension of that bond.
How Mahomes Got Here: The Injury That Shook Kansas City
In Week 15 of the 2025 NFL season, Mahomes tore the ACL and LCL in his left knee during a loss to the Los Angeles Chargers at Arrowhead Stadium. The injury also knocked the Chiefs out of playoff contention for the first time in the Mahomes era — a jarring end to what had already been a difficult season.
After reaching five of the previous six Super Bowls and winning three, Kansas City finished 6-11 and missed the postseason entirely. Mahomes recorded 3,587 passing yards, 22 touchdown passes, and 11 interceptions across his 14 starts before going down — numbers well below the standard he had set across his career.
At 30 years old and carrying a career record of 95-31 with 267 touchdown passes and over 35,900 passing yards across nine NFL seasons, Mahomes remains comfortably in his prime. He has bounced back from adversity before, and everything surrounding his recovery suggests this time will be no different.
The Road Back: Surgery, Rehab, and Already Throwing
Mahomes wasted no time beginning his comeback. He underwent surgery in Dallas to repair the torn ACL and LCL just one day after suffering the injury — a clear signal that he was already fully focused on returning as quickly as possible. The procedure was performed by Dr. Dan Cooper, and the Chiefs described it as successful.
Since then, Mahomes has been conducting the bulk of his daily rehabilitation in Kansas City with Chiefs physical therapist Julie Frymyer, while periodically traveling to Dallas for progress checkups with his surgical team.
One of the most encouraging signs of his recovery came in late March, when Mahomes posted a short video to Instagram showing himself executing a five-step dropback and delivering what appeared to be an intermediate throw inside a training facility. It was his first public display of arm work since the December surgery, and it drew widespread attention across the league.
Mahomes himself has been direct about the mindset driving his recovery: “Knowing me, I’m going to push it to the exact limit every single day. There’s places you can’t go yet. You want to, but you can’t go yet. And they’re doing it for a reason.”
Week 1 Return: What the Experts Are Saying
Medical professionals following Mahomes’ recovery have been publicly optimistic. A prominent sports medicine doctor stated plainly, “Great news for Patrick Mahomes. I expect him to start Week 1.” Chiefs General Manager Brett Veach told SiriusXM that Mahomes’ rehabilitation was tracking well ahead of schedule — a remarkable development given the typical 9-to-12-month recovery window for this type of injury.
Head coach Andy Reid has echoed that optimism. He confirmed Mahomes is actively throwing on his own and holds a realistic shot at joining teammates when Kansas City’s first OTAs open on May 26. Reid noted, “He is in a good position to be able to do some things,” while acknowledging the team must carefully navigate league rules around the Physically Unable to Perform list as they manage his ramp-up.
Mahomes himself set the tone back in January, making clear his personal goal was to suit up for Week 1 with no limitations whatsoever — a target his medical team confirmed was achievable if his recovery continued on its current trajectory.
The NFL season opener is expected around September 10, giving Mahomes roughly nine months from the date of injury — right in line with the optimistic end of the standard recovery timeline.
Kansas City’s Plan B — Just in Case
The Chiefs are not leaving anything to chance. Kansas City sent the New York Jets a sixth-round draft pick to acquire Justin Fields, giving the team an experienced starting-caliber quarterback should Mahomes need additional recovery time. Seventh-round rookie Garrett Nussmeier and veteran Chris Oladokun also provide further depth at the position.
That said, all indications point to Fields being a precaution rather than a plan. The Chiefs built their offseason around the expectation that their franchise quarterback will be under center when the season kicks off.
A Franchise Rebuilding Around Its Star
The 2025 season exposed some structural issues in Kansas City that the front office has moved decisively to address. Finding a stronger running game, a more reliable offensive line, and more consistent wide receiver production are all top priorities heading into the new season.
Kansas City’s biggest free agent addition this offseason was dynamic running back Kenneth Walker III, who should provide a genuine ground-game threat and take meaningful pressure off Mahomes as he returns from injury. On the financial front, the Chiefs converted a significant portion of Mahomes’ future salary into a signing bonus, freeing up over $43 million in cap space and giving General Manager Brett Veach real flexibility to continue building around his quarterback.
The Bottom Line
Patrick Mahomes is doing everything right. He is rehabbing ahead of schedule, throwing a football again, drawing personal messages of support from the President of the United States, and showing the relentless drive that has defined his entire career.
The question heading into the new NFL season is no longer whether he will return — it is whether he will be at full speed when the Chiefs need him most. Every sign right now points toward yes.
