When future sports historians wax poetic about the Kansas City Chiefs’ dynasty and the remarkable championship era of the NFL team’s star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, there’s a great chance they’ll recall Dec. 14, 2025, as the end date for both. Even though we have every reason to believe the three-time Super Bowl MVP and two-time NFL MVP will be back, it’s harder to imagine him returning to a Chiefs team that will look the same as it does now: on the field or on the sideline. In the fourth quarter in a losing effort against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, the 30-year-old Mahomes, one of the most electrifying athletes of his NFL generation, tore the anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, in his left knee, the team announced. ACL tears, which damage the ligament that stabilizes the knee, are catastrophic for any athlete, but especially devastating for an NFL signal caller known for creating huge, sometimes jaw-dropping, moments that start with him using his legs to extend plays. Mahomes, one of the most electrifying athletes of his NFL generation, tore the anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, in his left knee. And that’s what Mahomes was doing before he was hurt Sunday: extending a play. With the Chiefs trailing by three in the fourth quarter and their playoff hopes dangling, Mahomes eluded a defensive pass rush and threw the ball away just before he was hit. His knee buckled awkwardly. He writhed on the turf, clutching his injured leg. But because…
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