Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is down with what looks to be a severe injury. The Chiefs were fighting for their postseason lives against the Los Angeles Chargers. While KC may fall short, a long-term injury to Mahomes is far more concerning.
Mahomes went down grabbing his left knee. Were he to suffer the worst-case scenario, ala an Achilles or worse, he would surely be out for the season and well into the offseason, thus destroying KC's postseason hopes.
Patrick Mahomes can’t even walk.
— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) December 14, 2025
He was helped to the locker room, game has ended. Chiefs have been eliminated 💔 pic.twitter.com/MwMUPufiD3
Patrick Mahomes injury update: Where do the Chiefs turn without him?
If Mahomes is set to miss the rest of the season, the Chiefs did sign Gardner Minshew as a backup in training camp. Minshew has starting experience under his belt, which means the Chiefs still have a chance.
Chiefs QB depth char |
|---|
Patrick Mahomes |
Gardner Minshew |
I am not taking a shot at Minshew when I say he is not the same player Mahomes is. Were Mahomes able to come back late in the season or in the playoffs, perhaps the Chiefs would have a chance. However, KC will likely need to win out and get some help to make the postseason. That's a stretch at this point in the season.
Why the Chiefs should punt on the 2025 season
The Chiefs ought to let the 2025 season go to waste. I mean, what in the world are they waiting for at this point? Sure, KC has Super Bowl talent, but they also possess a number of veterans on their last legs. If the Chiefs were to lose out – or come close to it – they'd receive a middle-of-the-pack draft selection as a result. Frankly, that could work in their favor with this class, considering they aren't in line to take a QB.
Where the Chiefs need help is on the offensive line. Mahomes injury should serve as further proof of that. Heck, this team has been searching for a starting left tackle for years! Nothing has worked.
Justin Carter's Chiefs mock draft is worth reading for many reasons. Carter projects the Chiefs to take Carnell take in the first round. Should he be available, Tate would be a great pick. I have a hard time believing Tate won't go sooner given his success at OSU this season.
NFL Draft round | Selection |
|---|---|
1 | WR, Carnell Tate |
2 | OT, Trevor Goosby |
3 | RB, Jadarian Price |
In the second round, Carter believes the Chiefs will take a tackle in Trevor Goosby of Texas. Here is Carter's reasoning.
"Mahomes is being pressured on 23.5 percent of dropbacks, on track for the highest pressure rate of his NFL career. He's already tied his career high for total scrambles with four games left to play. The Chiefs aren't giving him a pocket as clean as he's used to, and it's definitely disrupted some of the timing between Mahomes and his receivers. Adding a lineman in the second round is a low-risk way of bolstering this line and hopefully giving Mahomes more time to work in the pocket," Carter wrote.
I mean, that ought to be enough, right? If the greatest quarterback in the NFL doesn't have time to throw, he's done for.