Patrick Mahomes has been sidelined for the season and will not be a part of what could be his long-time friend and teammate, Travis Kelce’s, final game at home.
The Kansas City Chiefs TE has not given a definitive answer amid retirement rumors, saying he is focusing on the remaining games this season. This comes as Andy Reid and co take on the Denver Broncos on Christmas Day.
Mahomes tore his ACL in Week 15, ending his season. Now, insiders reveal that the Chiefs QB could be out for a massive part of the 2026 season too. He is expected to miss about 9 to 12 months, NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported. That puts his return timeline to mid-September next year.
Unfortunate Travis Kelce update
Kelce has played 96 regular-season home games for the Kansas City Chiefs. The Christmas matchup could be his last. The 36-year-old is expected to decide on retirement after this season.
“What Travis has done to this organization, to his teammates, his coaches, this city – it’s special,” Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy said. “I hope like hell that’s not true. I just have so much respect for him.”
“I’d rather just keep the focus on this team right now,” Kelce said last week, “and all the conversations I have with the team and everything moving forward will be with them. And I think it’s a unique time in my life, and unfortunately I know when the season ends this year. Typically we go into it and we don’t know when it will end.”
Just before the Broncos game, Kelce was in the middle of a controversy. With the Chiefs out of the postseason race, he has put off media requests over the last three games. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk noted that this is a violation of the league’s rules for player availability.
“Players have been fined in the past, if/when the failure to comply with media obligations becomes chronic, and if the media covering the team complains about it. Sometimes, the media doesn’t make waves,” PFT said.