“That’s my goal”: Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes reiterates he wants to play against Bo Nix’s Denver Broncos in Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season (Image via Getty: Patrick Mahomes​)Patrick Mahomes opened up with Yahoo Sports host Caroline Fenton about recovery from a December 2025 torn ACL.And his hopes to face the Denver Broncos in Week 1 of the 2026 NFL Season.The Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback called it his ultimate goal: to play Week 1 against Bo Nix’s team. He called the team, one of the best in the league.He is working every single day to better himself. He is hoping his doctors and coaches give him a green signal to start Week 1.Because he has never experienced this long absence before. ACL recovery usually takes 9 to 12 months.Since December 2025, he has not been on the gridiron.This is the longest absence he’s ever had in his almost 10-year NFL career. He hopes to be back soon.Patrick Mahomes’ recovery is a long process and Chiefs QB can’t predict the futureOn his return to Week 1 to play against Bo Nix’s Denver Broncos on September 14, 2026“That’s my goal,” Mahomes said. “I’ve said that since the beginning 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 they can to let me be out there Week 1.And I don’t wanna miss that game [against Denver Broncos] because that’s the team that won the division while we were gone.And you want to be out there and ready to go with your teammates. So, I’ll give it every single thing I can to be out there Week 1.And hopefully the doctors and the coaches give me the green light.And I’m able to go out there with my guys and compete against one of the best teams in the league [Denver Broncos].”Patrick Mahomes is excited for training camp which starts from July 29, 2026On the progression of his recovery“It’s going good. It’s a long process. I think that’s what I’ve learned throughout this entire thing,” Kansas City Chiefs star said.“So all I can do is be as great as I can be every single day. You have to maximize that day and then slowly get better and better as the year goes on.And so, I’m excited to get back to training camp. I’m excited to get the guys back around. I’ve kind of been in the building in Kansas City by myself.And so, just having the guys back and getting to be back on the football field will kind of get me going in order to get ready for the season.”Patrick Mahomes hated the long absence from gridiron due to ACL tearOn the mental effect of recovery and not being able to play with teammates“I hated not being able to play at the end of the season,” Mahomes said. “You know, that was my first time to not really be able to play football games in my career.And so, not being able to play and just be out there with the guys, that s*cked to watch honestly.But then after the season ended, it was just about getting back out there and trying to do whatever I can to be able to participate in OTAs, which I did.And then, to be ready to go for training camp. And so, I know it’s a long process, but you have these end goals.And so, I’m just trying to achieve those end goals by dominating every single day. And we’ve had a great recovery program going these last few months.We’re in a good spot, and now it’s just about trying to continue to do that so that I’m ready to go whenever the season comes around.”