KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes on Thursday spoke publicly for the first time since tearing knee ligaments in the team's mid-December loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Dallas-based orthopedic surgeon Daniel E. Cooper performed surgery the evening after the ACL and LCL injury, and Mahomes has already completed the first month of what the team hopes will be a nine-month rehab.
"The long-term goal (is) I want to be ready for Week 1," Mahomes said. "The doctor said that I could be, but I can't predict what's going to happen throughout the process. But that's my goal, and I'll try to prepare myself to be ready to play in Week 1 and have no restrictions.
"You want to be out there healthy and giving us the best chance to win. Hopefully I'll be able to do some stuff in OTAs and get to training camp and hopefully be able to do a lot there. I'm excited for the process. It's a long process, but I'm excited for it."
Chiefs assistant athletic trainer Julie Frymyer is spearheading Mahomes' rehab, which is currently taking place at the team's training facility in Kansas City. Mahomes said most of his rehab will happen in KC, though he'll also spend some time in Dallas meeting with Cooper.
"Rehab's going great so far," Mahomes said. "(I'm) just hitting all the checkpoints that the doctor wants you to do and getting the strength and the range of mobility back. So that's been going great. ... Julie has been crushing it, pushing me.
"The doctor kind of gives you goals to get to, and I just try to maximize those, and they hold me back because I always want to go a little bit further. So it's been going great."
Mahomes credits Frymeyer for keeping him grounded while getting the most out of his therapy sessions.
"There are some days you're going to be sore," the quarterback said. "There are some days you're going to feel stiff, but you have to have someone that you trust that's going to get the best out of you, that's going to keep you safe, and someone that's going to push you. I think that's more than anything.
"Some days I want to go in there and crush rehab. Some days I just want to get through it. She doesn’t let you just get-through-it day. (Frymeyer) pushes you to be the best every single day."
In 14 starts during the 2025 season, Mahomes went 6-8, throwing for 3,587 yards, 22 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He's aiming to be back in time to help the Chiefs respond after the first losing season of his nine-year career.