NFL Injury Updates: Patrick Mahomes Targets Week 1 Return Amid Training Camp News

Patrick Mahomes Targets Week 1 Return After Knee Reconstruction

Mahomes has not played in a competitive NFL game since suffering the injury, which required surgery on his anterior cruciate ligament. Recovery from such a procedure typically spans up to a year or longer, yet the 30-year-old quarterback has maintained a relentless training schedule during training camp. According to reporting from Yahoo Sports Daily and The Mirror, Mahomes acknowledged that his readiness depends on medical clearance rather than sheer willpower alone. That’s my goal, Mahomes told Yahoo Sports Daily when asked about playing in the season opener against Denver, as reported by The Mirror. I’ve said that since the beginning, the goal is being ready to go Week 1. I can’t predict the future, and I know that it’s a long process. It’s not just my decision, but at the same time, I’m going to give the doctors and the coaches every single opportunity I can to let me be out there Week 1. Team medical staff are expected to hold Mahomes out of the preseason finale against the Seattle Seahawks. Should he sit out the exhibition contest, it will mark the first time in his 10-year professional career that he has missed an entire preseason. Offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy noted that watching from the sideline has tested the quarterback’s patience while allowing him to serve as an extension of the coaching staff. With him not playing in the preseason, it could drive you crazy, Bieniemy told reporters, according to team coverage. He’s like a coach on the sideline. But it’s a good thing because you know he’s itching to get back out there and do whatever he can do to help us win.

Training Camp Injury Updates Across the League

Elsewhere across the league, several teams navigated significant injury scares and milestones during practice sessions on Tuesday. Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase avoided a long-term absence after landing awkwardly on a deep route and exiting practice with a knee injury. Chase appeared on Cincinnati’s ESPN 1530 shortly after the incident to confirm he was fine following a minor hyperextension, noting that the team held him out strictly as a precaution. In Indianapolis, Colts head coach Shane Steichen announced that wide receiver Alec Pierce could return to the practice field as early as this week. Pierce has spent months recovering from off-season ankle surgery that he underwent shortly after signing a four-year, $114 million contract extension. To mitigate his absence, the Colts signed veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen to bolster an offensive unit that features Josh Downs and quarterback Daniel Jones.

Roster Setbacks for Chicago and Seattle

Chicago Bears right tackle Darnell Wright was forced to leave practice early on Tuesday after medical staff evaluated his right elbow. Wright previously suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in the same elbow last season, playing through the issue with a protective brace to earn second-team All-Pro honors. Team trainers removed his brace during red zone drills, though the franchise expects him to be available for the regular season. Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks received a severe blow as head coach Mike Macdonald confirmed that rookie safety Bud Clark will miss the entire 2026 season. Clark suffered a broken ankle against the Tennessee Titans during Week 2 of the preseason. Selected in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft out of TCU, Clark was competing for safety reps alongside Julian Love and Nick Emmanwori. Ty Okada is now positioned to step into the safety rotation in Clark’s absence.