The Kansas City Chiefs will only go as far as Patrick Mahomes can take them, and coming off the first major injury of his NFL career, it's fair to have at least some concern. But Mahomes has shown throughout camp that he's fully recovered from the torn ACL and LCL he suffered late last season and appears to be in a good position to hit the ground running in 2026.

On Tuesday, Mahomes opened up about his recovery process and said he's hit every benchmark needed to strengthen his knee before the season starts. "Being able to go out there, day after day, and have the grind of a camp, that can even be harder than the [regular] season," Mahomes said. "It's been awesome for me to be able to do that. It's exciting. I didn't know if I was going to have to take days off, but my body has responded the right way. Honestly, the more we practice, the better I feel."

More news: Bears Involved in Trade Talks to Deal Key Defensive Starter

More news: Browns’ Next QB Battle Set for Preseason Finale vs Patriots

Reports all summer have been positive on Mahomes. Coaches and teammates have raved about his recovery, and Andy Reid clearly doesn't feel the need to get him into live game action until the regular season starts. That's a strong indicator that he doesn't need it and is ready to go for Week 1.

But it can't be forgotten that we haven't seen Mahomes in a live, competitive environment in over eight months. He probably hasn't lost a step, but ACLs can be tricky, and he has yet to stare down elite edge rushers like Nik Bonitto, Maxx Crosby, Myles Garrett, or Nick Bosa chasing after him — all of whom he'll face this season.

The Chiefs open the season against Bonitto and the Broncos on "Monday Night Football" on Sept. 14, a worthy test to see whether the hype around Mahomes is real.

More news: Matt LaFleur Sends Lighthearted Warning to Brother Mike LaFleur