The Tennessee Titans are working to get rookie quarterback Cam Ward settled in, but ahead of their matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs, interim head coach Mike McCoy took a moment to speak from the heart-not about his own team, but about one of the NFL’s biggest stars.
“Thinking of Patrick Mahomes, one of the great competitors in the NFL,” McCoy said. “He's a great father.
This is the bad part of the business. You feel for him, and we wish him nothing but the best.”
McCoy’s words came just days after Mahomes suffered a season-ending ACL injury in the Chiefs’ 16-13 loss to the Chargers. It’s a stunning development-not just because of Mahomes’ stature as a generational talent, but because this marks the first time in his career that he’ll miss the postseason. For a player who’s practically lived in January football since becoming a starter, this is uncharted territory.
The injury, confirmed by MRI to be a torn ACL without additional ligament damage, ends what had been another standout season for the Chiefs’ signal-caller. The silver lining?
Mahomes is expected to make a full recovery. According to head coach Andy Reid, the quarterback’s relentless work ethic will be a major asset during rehab.
“He’ll attack it, just like he does everything else,” Reid said. “There have been some pretty good quarterbacks who’ve had the same injury, and they’ve done pretty well after they came back.
He’ll get after it, and he’s got good people here to rehab him. He’ll be right on top of all of that.”
Reid’s confidence is rooted in experience-both his own and Mahomes’. The Chiefs know what they have in No. 15: a competitor who doesn’t just lead on the field, but sets the tone for the entire organization. And while ACL injuries are serious, the fact that there’s no additional ligament damage bodes well for a relatively smooth recovery timeline.
Mahomes, for his part, responded with the kind of grace and grit we’ve come to expect. In a message to fans posted on social media, he didn’t sugarcoat the disappointment.
“Don’t know why this had to happen,” he wrote. “And not going to lie, [it] hurts.
But all we can do now is [trust] in God and attack every single day over and over again. Thank you, Chiefs Kingdom, for always supporting me and for everyone who has reached out and sent prayers.
I [will] be back stronger than ever.”
That last line-"stronger than ever"-isn’t just a promise. For Mahomes, it’s a mindset. He’s built his career on defying expectations, and there’s little doubt he’ll bring that same energy to his rehab.
Back in Tennessee, the Titans are trying to find their own spark at quarterback. And in a moment that felt like a nod to the player he’s long admired, Cam Ward delivered a Mahomes-esque highlight.
On a wild scramble, Ward extended the play just long enough to find an unlikely target-defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons-for a touchdown. It was the kind of improvisational magic that felt straight out of the Mahomes playbook.
The Titans still have work to do in shaping Ward into a franchise cornerstone, but if he’s taking notes from the right places, they might be on the right track.
As for Mahomes, the NFL will be missing one of its brightest stars this postseason. But don’t expect him to stay quiet for long. If history has taught us anything, it’s that Patrick Mahomes doesn’t just come back-he comes back better.