A season of struggles for the Kansas City Chiefs hit a new low on Sunday afternoon. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered a torn ACL right before a turnover eliminated the team from the playoffs.
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Mahomes suffered the injury right after the two-minute warning. He scrambled toward the right sideline as Chargers defender Da'Shawn Hand gave chase. As Hand made the tackle, Mahomes' left knee bent awkwardly. He then rolled over and grabbed his knee in pain. The broadcast crew said that it appeared that the quarterback hyper-extended his knee.
"An MRI has confirmed that Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes sustained a torn ACL in his left knee in today's game," the Chiefs said in a statement. "Patrick and the club are currently exploring surgical options."
PATRICK MAHOMES KNEE DOES NOT LOOK GOOD AT ALL.
🙏🙏🙏
It has been a horrific season for Kansas City.
— MLFootball (@MLFootball) December 14, 2025
Members of the team helped Mahomes as he hobbled back to the locker room. Meanwhile, backup quarterback Gardner Minshew took the field and attempted to lead a comeback against the AFC West rival Chargers. This attempt failed as safety Derwin James intercepted a pass to seal the win for the Chargers.
This interception ensured that for the first time in Mahomes' career as a starter, he will miss the playoffs. The former first-round draft pick has reached the AFC Championship every season since taking over for Alex Smith in 2018.
The Chiefs have reached the Super Bowl five times in this seven-year stretch while winning three Lombardi Trophies. Going one step further, the Chiefs have reached the playoffs in 10 consecutive seasons under head coach Andy Reid.
The Chiefs did not immediately know the extent of Mahomes' injury. Reid spoke with media members after the game and said that the championship-winning quarterback would undergo an MRI. He acknowledged to reporters that "it didn't look good."
With the MRI confirming the torn ACL, Mahomes will now miss the rest of the season. This includes games against the Titans, Broncos, and Raiders.
"Don't know why this had to happen," Mahomes posted on X on Sunday. "And not going to lie it's 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."
