Patrick Mahomes shows off his surgically repaired leg alongside Brittany Mahomes in a bittersweet celebration

Patrick Mahomes is sidelined by injury, watching a season end far earlier than expected and beginning a long recovery process that has forced him into rare downtime.

Kansas City’s year unraveled in Week 15, when Mahomes suffered a torn ACL and LCL against the Los Angeles Chargers.

The injury occurred on the final drive of the game as the Chiefs tried desperately to keep their postseason hopes alive.

Without their franchise quarterback, Kansas City slipped out of the playoff picture entirely, limping into the final week with just six wins after a stretch that once defined dominance.

The Chiefs had reached three straight Super Bowls and won two of them before this abrupt collapse.

With football suddenly paused, Mahomes has turned his attention to healing and to something his schedule rarely allows during the season: uninterrupted family time.

Man. Poor Patrick Mahomes and his torn ACL. Onto a MUCH better 2026! Happy new years, yall! 🤞🏼🪩🥳 pic.twitter.com/evf1M9i8n2

— Lexi (@lexiosborne) January 1, 2026

His wife, Brittany Mahomes, has shared glimpses of that quieter chapter, posting holiday moments that offered a sharp contrast to the usual intensity of December in Kansas City.

Photos from Christmas showed the family in matching pajamas, smiling and relaxed. Other posts captured lighthearted scenes with their children, including son Golden showing off impressive balance that drew playful comparisons to his father’s athleticism.

Rehab, reflection, and a different kind of offseason
New Year’s Eve offered another snapshot of Mahomes’ current reality. Brittany shared images of the family celebrating together as fireworks lit up the night.

Their children joined in, with Bronze front and center while Sterling and baby Golden stayed close. Mahomes stood nearby wearing a large knee brace, a visual reminder of how drastically this winter has changed.

The brace may look cumbersome, but it represents progress. The expectation is that Mahomes’ recovery timeline will put him on track to return around Week 1 next season in September.

That gives him months to rebuild strength and mobility, an unusual stretch of recovery time for a quarterback who is accustomed to playing deep into January and February.