Imagine a 22-year-old just fresh out of college leading the Washington Commanders to their first division title since 1999 while capturing Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. He looked primed for superstardom. However, when he retired at the age of 30 because of a hamstring injury in 2020, his NFL career became a “what if.” Learning from his experience, the 36-year-old former quarterback is now urging the Kansas City Chiefs to think long-term about Patrick Mahomes amid his recovery.
“I would like to see him not start this season just so he can prolong his career,” Robert Griffin III said to FanSided’s Sterling Holmes just hours ago. “And hopefully, the Chiefs can put themselves in position midway through the year where he can come back and he can be fully 100 percent and be the Patrick Mahomes that we’re used to seeing.”
Mahomes saw his 2025 season end abruptly after tearing both his ACL and LCL in his left knee during a Week 15 clash with the Los Angeles Chargers on December 14, with just 1:53 remaining in regulation. Since then, he has gone through surgery under Dr. Dan Cooper, the Dallas Cowboys’ head team physician, and stuck to a strict rehab plan, aiming to be ready for the 2026 opener.
So, RG III believes it’s best for Mahomes not to jump back into playing right away. He understands how hurrying back from an injury can really impact a player’s future. Back in 2012, he made a huge splash with his bold style of play, and fans loved every moment. But he was also struggling with a concussion and a knee sprain. Later that same season, he ended up needing surgery due to several ligament tears in his right knee.
Although he returned, the same explosiveness never fully came back. And to make things worse, he suffered more injuries every year. In 2014, Griffin needed to be carted off the field after dislocating his left ankle in Week 2. The following year, he suffered a concussion, which eventually cost him his starting role.
In 2016, he joined the Cleveland Browns and showed he still had it, yet injuries kept interrupting his rhythm. That year, he suffered a left shoulder fracture and a concussion and was ultimately released by the team the next year. Then, after spending the entire 2017 as a free agent, he joined the Baltimore Ravens to revive his career. But his three-season run ended when he suffered a left hamstring injury in December 2020. The following year, he was waived by the Ravens, ending his 8-season tenure in the league.
“I think they can survive half the season without Patrick Mahomes, and then just imagine that energy that he would bring if he came in halfway through the year,” Griffin added. “Because it feels like, I don’t know about you being in Kansas City, but it feels like the Chiefs… they are like sleepwalking through the regular season because they’ve had so many successful postseasons.”
So let’s see if the Chiefs go this route. Meanwhile, head coach Andy Reid revealed it’s been all “positive” for the passer during his rehab.
Andy Reid shared a positive update on Patrick Mahomes’ recovery
At the annual league meeting on March 31, the Chiefs’ head coach talked about Patrick Mahomes and his recovery from the injury. Reid mentioned that he would rely on the team’s medical staff for guidance.
“I’m going to defer to the experts on that,” Reid said when asked if Mahomes would be limited for training camp. “So, if he’s good to go, he’ll go. If he’s not, we’ll manage that. So, we’ll just cross it as we go. Everybody’s different. Everybody heals differently. Everybody’s injuries are a little bit different. We don’t have to put him in a category. We’ll see where it goes.”
However, the Chiefs HC also added that Mahomes’ recovery is going well.
“He’s doing great,” Andy Reid said. “He spends a ton of time in the building. He’s in there for seven hours a day. It’s showing the progress.”
Players typically take about six to twelve months to heal from an ACL injury. But just three months after his injury, Mahomes was spotted throwing a football while wearing a compression sleeve on his left leg in March. So there is a chance Mahomes can be ready for Week 1, but a delayed return in October is not ruled out.
