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Andy Reid ready to take caution with Patrick Mahomes after injury layoff Patrick Mahomes is unlikely to play for the Chiefs in their pre-season game against the Rams next weekend as the quarterback continues his recovery from injury Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid said it is unlikely that superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes will play in their opening pre-season game against the Los Angeles Rams next Saturday. Mahomes, 30, a three-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback, is back in training for the Chiefs after suffering ACL and LCL tears in last season’s 16-13 defeat to the Chargers last December, which confirmed Kansas City’s absence from the 2025/26 playoffs. The former Texas Tech star underwent surgery and faced a race against time to be fit for the start of the 2026/27 season, and appears to be edging closer to starting Week 1 against the Denver Broncos in September. However, next week’s pre-season game against the Rams will likely come too early for Mahomes. Reid’s admission comes as Mahomes humored his embarrassing mistake at Chiefs training camp. “There's a pretty good chance I don't play him,” Coach Reid said. “Percentages are leaning that way. I don't know if I will play him the second or third game — I don't know that — but percentages probably lean against doing that.” The Chiefs have plenty of reasons to get their backup quarterbacks on the field this preseason. Veteran Justin Fields, acquired in a trade with the Jets, is expected to step into the No. 2 role and would benefit from live reps in Kansas City's offense. Garrett Nussmeier also figures to need as much work as he can get after the former LSU quarterback fell to the seventh round and joined the Chiefs as a developmental project. "We've got new people ... behind (Mahomes) that need some work," Reid said. "The more reps they get, the better." Mahomes is eager to return for the Chiefs as soon as possible. Before last season, the Chiefs' last missed NFL playoff appearance was in 2014. “I’m a competitor, so [on] game day, I’m going to want to be out there,” Mahomes said last month. “But I understand the process of getting myself ready to play in the regular season is more important. We’ll see. The coaches and doctors will make that decision for me, but I’ll prepare myself like I’m going to play.” What is already crystal clear is that the likes of Fields and Co. are enjoying working with one of the sport’s best quarterbacks. “Any question that I have, he’s been in this offense for 10 years now so he knows every little detail,” Fields said of Mahomes. “Any questions that have popped up, he’s explaining to me perfectly. It’s great learning from him, him showing me the ropes.” Mahomes is tipped to be a future NFL Hall of Famer. His accolades make it hard to argue otherwise. Fields says he’s still growing as a quarterback, even if that means playing behind Mahomes. “I’m just trying to expand my horizon, do things I’ve never done before, the amount of concepts, the amount of actions, the amount of stuff we have in the offense,” Fields said. “I’m just trying to practice on that, and really emulate Pat.”