Patrick Mahomes Runs for Touchdown on Chiefs’ Opening Drive in Return

Patrick Mahomes has officially returned.

The Kansas City Chiefs jumped out to a 7-0 lead over the Denver Broncos in Monday’s season opener, with Mahomes scoring on a 15-yard touchdown run on his surgically repaired left knee.

The Chiefs took possession at Denver’s 46-yard line after rookie first-round pick Mansoor Delane intercepted Broncos quarterback Bo Nix on the opening drive. Mahomes finished the 11-play series with his first rushing touchdown since the December 14 meeting with the Chargers last season, when he tore the ACL and LCL in his left knee.

Mahomes had appeared to score on a five-yard run the play before, but the touchdown was nullified by a holding penalty against undrafted rookie Kahlil Benson.

The quarterback endured a difficult start through the air, completing just two of his first 12 attempts. Mahomes eventually settled in, connecting on five straight passes, including a 13-yard touchdown to Rashee Rice that put Kansas City ahead 14-7 before halftime.

Mahomes’ knee injury initially carried a recovery timeline of a year or more. Instead, he completed training camp without a setback, sat out the preseason and made his highly anticipated return Monday at Arrowhead Stadium.

‘It’s incredible,’ Chiefs general manager Brett Veach told ESPN of Mahomes’ recovery this week. ‘That’s a guy that defines what leadership and what the face of a franchise should look like. He gave up an entire summer. He just attacked [the rehab]. Everybody in the building sees it. The level of sacrifice is something that has been an example throughout the entire organization.’

A key factor in Mahomes’ accelerated recovery was his decision to undergo surgery immediately after sustaining the injury in December. Although he was disappointed to miss time as the Chiefs failed to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2014, Mahomes flew to Dallas the following day for the procedure.

The Broncos, meanwhile, expected to face the same quarterback who has dominated them since becoming Kansas City’s starter in 2018, compiling a 13-2 record against Denver.

‘I think Patrick’s gonna be Patrick,’ Denver defensive coordinator Vance Joseph told reporters. ‘In my opinion, he wouldn’t play if he couldn’t be himself. He’s had a good summer and spring to kind of rehab, and from what I hear and what I read, he’s feeling great. … So, we’ll get his best shot.’

‘I’m going to probably say the same for Bo, you’ve seen enough things where he’s going to be 100% and we’re preparing for him at his best,’ Broncos head coach Sean Payton agreed. ‘We know how talented he is and I’m sure he’s attacked the rehab the way Bo has – with completely different injuries. That’s kind of our approach to it.’

One of the biggest concerns entering Monday night’s divisional matchup was the Chiefs’ offensive line.

Due to a back issue, second-year left tackle Josh Simmons was declared out, forcing Benson to protect Mahomes’ blind side against a Broncos team that led the NFL in sacks last season.

For his part, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid seemed optimistic about Benson, as he explained to reporters this week.

‘He’s done a nice job for us,’ Reid said. ‘He’s obviously shown us that he has the ability to play. We wouldn’t put him in there if we didn’t think that. We’ve all been through that. I think when we first got hired, we thought we probably were pretty good at it, so I want his confidence to be that and go out and play and just use his abilities.’

The reigning AFC West champions also got their signal caller back on Monday as Nix returned from his season-ending ankle injury that kept him out of Denver’s AFC Championship loss to the New England Patriots.

But unlike Mahomes, Nix did play in the preseason, completing 6 of 9 passes for 76 yards and a touchdown.

He bounced back from an early interception to complete five of his next six passes, including a touchdown toss to tight end Evan Engram.