How Patrick Mahomes is looking at the Chiefs’ difficult 6-11 season differently after his injury and why he calls it “part of the journey”

Patrick Mahomes is ready to look ahead as the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback is nearing his return after tearing his ACL and MCL last December, an injury that ended his 2025 season. The Chiefs also missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade after going 6-11. Now, as Mahomes prepares for his 10th NFL season, he says the difficult year was simply another part of his story.Patrick Mahomes reflects on Chiefs’ difficult 2025 seasonSpeaking exclusively to PEOPLE, Mahomes said the time away from football gave him a chance to focus on parts of his life that can be harder to enjoy during a busy NFL season.“Football is a huge part of my life, but I’ve always tried to keep perspective,” Mahomes told PEOPLE. “Family, friends, my teammates, my foundation work, those things have always been important to me.”Mahomes spent months working through his recovery while also having more time with his wife, Brittany, and their three children. The quarterback said that slower pace helped him appreciate time with his family.“During the season you’re so locked in, so having that time to slow down, be present with the kids, and just enjoy the people around you makes it special,” he said.The injury also forced Mahomes to spend much of the offseason focused on rehab. ESPN reported that Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Mahomes was often spending about seven hours a day at the team facility working on his recovery.Still, Mahomes does not appear interested in dwelling on what went wrong last season. He described the experience in simple terms.“Every season adds something to your story, good or bad,” Mahomes told PEOPLE. “My focus is always on what’s next.”Patrick Mahomes looks ahead to Chiefs’ 2026 seasonThat mindset is now turning toward a new season. Mahomes said his goal is not only to play well but also to be someone his family, teammates and young fans can look up to.“I want to be the best for my family, my teammates, the kids who look up to this game,” he said.He also wants to make sure he leaves the game without regrets.“When I think about why I go out there and put in the work every single day, it’s about being the best version of myself every single day so that I can have no regrets for how I played this game and went about my business,” Mahomes said.The Chiefs have also made changes around him. Kenneth Walker III and Emmanuel Ogbah were among their offseason additions as Kansas City tries to move forward from last season.Mahomes knows the team cannot simply repeat what worked before. “What makes great teams work is knowing that every year is a different team and every guy brings something different to the table,” he said.Kansas City is scheduled to open the 2026 regular season at home against the Denver Broncos on Sept. 14. The Chiefs have not announced whether Mahomes will start that game.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.