In 2017, the Kansas City Chiefs made a decision that would change the franchise forever. It was April 27, Day of the 2017 NFL Drafts, and the Chiefs were sitting at pick no. 27. Then general manager John Dorsey shipped out their 2017 and 2018 first-rounders, packaged with a 2017 third-rounder, to move up to the 10th pick and landed Patrick Mahomes. What has followed since has only given KC reasons to rejoice.
On Friday, April 17, the Chiefs celebrated that call again. They posted a Mahomes throwback video on their X handle. From Texas Tech clips to draft-day footage to some career highlight reels, the clip had it all. And KC capped it all off with the perfect statement for their franchise quarterback.
The stat sheet across nine seasons more than justifies that claim: five Super Bowl appearances, three Lombardi Trophies, and three Super Bowl MVP awards. Even with the offense failing around him, Mahomes finished 2025 with 3,587 passing yards, 22 touchdowns, and 11 picks before going down with an ACL and LCL tear in Week 15 against the Los Angeles Chargers. But Mahomes has even more going for himself.
“Throwback to our greatest draft pick of all time,” they captioned their post.
Throwback to our greatest draft pick of all time. pic.twitter.com/AeIlPrhc6q
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) April 17, 2026
The rehab journey also adds another layer to the Chiefs’ argument. When he got injured, Mahomes underwent surgery in Dallas the very next day. Since then, the team has maintained that Mahomes is “attacking” the rehab. As proof, Mahomes even posted a workout video from a training facility in March, in which he was seen dropping back and throwing a pass. He’s aiming for a Week 1 return and leaving no stones unturned for it.
Most recently, Brittany Mahomes had posted family photos from a Texas farm outing. What caught attention was a long surgical scar on Mahomes’ knee, the first public look at the post-surgery leg. Meanwhile, NFL insider Jay Glazer reported in March that the franchise expects Mahomes to return sooner than the standard 12-month ACL recovery timeline.
What’s more, the Chiefs aren’t just calling Mahomes their greatest investment. What they are building around their quarterback right now also says a lot about how ingrained Mahomes is in KC’s football identity.
Brett Veach’s plans for Patrick Mahomes
The Chiefs were riding the high of three consecutive Super Bowl appearances into 2025. But miscues and pile-ups right from the start of the season, like Kelce slamming into wide receiver Xavier Worthy and dislocating the latter’s shoulder. The Chiefs were trying to hold everything together. But after the 6-11 season, even Brett Veach knew something had to be done.
“The last few years, we were in a maintenance stage, and now we’re trying to rebuild this thing again,” Veach had said at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine. “I think for a GM and a personnel staff, that’s exciting.”
That word “rebuild” was deliberate. A franchise quarterback rehabbing from a season-ending injury and no postseason for the first time in his career needed an immediate fix. For Veach, the answer to that problem starts by building around his QB while also looking at backups.
“The tricky part is trying to maintain that standard but also keep an eye on the future and know that Pat’s still going to be here for a long time,” Veach said in his pre-draft Zoom media address recently. “We always have to build this thing out and build through the offense and defensive line, and that’s where it all starts.”
The most notable offseason move was at quarterback. The Chiefs acquired Justin Fields from the New York Jets for a 2027 sixth-round pick. With the Jets covering most of his contract, Fields will cost KC just $3 million guaranteed in 2026, giving them a cheap starting option while Mahomes heals.
Additionally, the Chiefs re-signed OL Mike Caliendo and LB Jack Cochrane in free agency. DT Khyris Tonga and safety Alohi Gilman joined on three-year deals, and cornerback Kader Kohou joined on a one-year deal. They were even more aggressive on the offensive side of the ball. They got running back Emari Demercado, re-signed wide receiver Tyquan Thornton, brought in Kenneth Walker III, and locked in Travis Kelce for one more year. And the next piece of this puzzle is the draft.
“There’s a lot of areas to improve on our roster, on both sides of the football,” Veach said in his pre-draft presser. “So I think it does open up that nine pick to go in any one direction, and certainly we see how the first five or six picks go. But I think whether it’s the defensive backfield, the offensive line, edge rusher, receiver. Again, we need help in all those areas.
The Chiefs hold picks No. 9 and 29 in the 2026 NFL Draft. Brett Veach has already identified the positions he still needs. Now, the additions he makes on draft night for Patrick Mahomes could be the final key that unlocks the dynasty again.
