Mahomes' Commitment To Rehab Started With Surgery Choice

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes had plenty of memorable moments during his rehab after knee surgery, but few if any were offered for public consumption. Instead Mahomes offered one positive update after another, which inspired skepticism at first, then a level of belief when he finally got on the field during training camp. 

Those moments started right after the injury itself, according to a report from Nate Taylor of ESPN, when Mahomes faced a pivotal choice about the timing of the surgery, which was done by Dr. Dan Cooper, the head team physician for the Dallas Cowboys. 

Cooper specializes in knee and shoulder surgeries, and he gave Mahomes a choice. If he wanted to have a chance to be back in uniform for Week 1, he would need to fly from Kansas City to Dallas the next morning to have the procedure done. 

The quarterback’s response was predictable. 

"I'm willing," Mahomes said, "to do whatever it takes."

What followed was a remarkable level of commitment in which Mahomes embraced the daily grind of rehab. It’s not something that happens with every star quarterback in the NFL, but if there’s one thing we’ve learned about Mahomes over the years, it’s that he’s built differently. 

Chiefs GM Brett Veach noted this, and he also talked about the effect of Mahomes’ commitment on the organization as a whole. 

"It's incredible," Veach said. "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."

But Mahomes has clearly put this aspect of his recovery in the rear view going into the Chiefs’ showdown against the Denver Broncos tonight. Instead he offered a glimpse into the way he might play tonight that isn’t surprising at all given the way training camp unfolded. 

"I wasn't playing my best at the end of last year before I got hurt," said Mahomes, who rushed for a career-high 422 yards and five touchdowns last season, per Taylor. "I think I ran a little bit too much."

The quarterback’s cohort in the rehab process was assistant trainer Julie Frymyer, who became his near-constant companion as Mahomes fought to get back. She did this before with Mahomes back in 2019 when he dislocated his right kneecap attempting a quarterback sneak, according to Taylor, and coach Andy Reid remembers how that played out. 

"I remember going into that halftime and he's trying to talk me into [him] going back out and playing," Reid said of Mahomes. "That [mindset] is huge for that position. You've got a lot of eyes on you. Guys are going to watch how you go about your business."

Tonight it will be back to business as usual for Mahomes, which is winning games as he faces the Broncos’ formidable defense.