Kansas City Quarterback Patrick Mahomes' recovery from a torn ACL and LCL has become the offseason focus for the Chiefs, and a former division rival is sending out a strong warning about what's at stake if the Chiefs get his return wrong. 

From the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship, retired QB Derek Carr spoke about Mahomes' situation directly.

"Every clip I've seen of the Chiefs so far, he's been under center handing the ball off, and I'm like, yes. If they start doing this, everybody better watch out...If you protect him, you should be in the AFC Championship fight and go to the Super Bowl every year." Carr said on Sports Radio 810's.

Carr is banking on Mahomes’ health because of Mahomes' scrambling, changing direction, and the hits he takes outside the pocket, which would be rough on a knee that had dual-ligament reconstruction.

Carr's comment on Mahomes' accuracy reflects in the consistency the quarterback has maintained. As a starter, Mahomes never went below 65% completion until last year.

Play-action from under center requires linebackers to cover the run, which would open passing lanes and slow the pass rush. This keeps Mahomes from having to improvise to avoid getting hit.

To that end, the Chiefs have made investments in the O-line to support Mahomes in 2026.

The franchise kept Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith as anchors while adding or developing pieces like Kingsley Suamataia, rookie Josh Simmons, and tackle options such as Jaylon Moore and Mike Caliendo. This came after releasing former starter Jawaan Taylor.

Mahomes will return gradually.  Until he's fully cleared for team practices, he will be limited to individual drills and 7-on-7s.  The Chiefs will map out his return through September. 

That protection for Mahomes, as mentioned by Carr on the Sports Radio 810 X video, has been a priority. Still, as Kansas City opens camp, other players with stakes will be important for the next few weeks as well.

Chiefs players facing pressure in training camp

Coming in first, Mahomes was out last December after tearing his LCL and ACL. He was able to complete non-contact drills during the spring, but the upcoming camp will be the first real test with contact and cutting up until the first week of the season.

Rashee Rice enters the season at a crossroads; according to ESPN, he had surgery on his knee in May of this year. If healthy, the skills he has after a catch would perfectly complement the Kansas City offense.

Still, his off-field issues have been unpredictable to deal with, with hopes now resting on Xavier Worthy stepping into form.

Training camp won't hand anyone a starting job in Kansas City. Veteran offensive tackle Jaylon Moore may open camp with the first-team offense, but he'll have to fend off challenges from Kahlil Benson and Esa Pole.

This year's first-round cornerback Mansoor Delane enters camp with a slight setback. The LSU product, who was drafted sixth overall, missed the final stretch of mandatory minicamp after suffering a minor shoulder injury during OTAs.

Still, head coach Andy Reid expects him to be fully ready once training camp begins.

What do you think about the Chiefs' roster heading into 2026?

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Written by

Abhay Bharti

Edited by

Aadesh Dhote