Patrick Mahomes took a painful hit in more ways than one during the Kansas City Chiefs’ discouraging loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
In the final two minutes of Sunday’s game on Dec. 14, the 30-year-old quarterback tried to spark a late touchdown drive that could have stolen a win. After throwing an incomplete pass, Mahomes was tackled and went down clutching his left knee.
He stayed on the turf while the Chiefs’ medical staff hurried out to evaluate him, with teammates nearby waiting for an update. Mahomes was eventually helped off the field.
Backup quarterback Gardner Minshew took over, but the comeback attempt ended quickly when he threw an interception — sealing the loss and ending Kansas City’s playoff hopes. With the defeat, the Chiefs were officially eliminated from postseason contention and will not have a chance to avenge their loss in the 2025 Super Bowl.
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Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said after the game that Mahomes will undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the injury, adding that “it didn’t look good,” according to ESPN reporter Adam Schefter.
The result also marks a major shift for Kansas City: it will be the franchise’s first time missing the playoffs in 10 years — and the first time Mahomes has missed the postseason in his NFL career.
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The loss may also have carried extra weight beyond the standings. It could end up being the last meaningful game of Mahomes’ close friend and longtime teammate Travis Kelce, who could retire at the end of the season.
Mahomes has acknowledged the possibility has been on his mind. “Every season I’ve had with him these last few years, I try to cherish because you never know [if this will be Kelce’s last season],” Mahomes said after their loss on Dec. 7.
