Why Patrick Mahomes may not play Chiefs vs Titans next week. Concerning injury update comes in

Patrick Mahomes was visibly in a lot of pain when he was taken to the locker room on Sunday

Published on: Dec 15, 2025, 04:53:29 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Patrick Mahomes injury update: The season couldn't have gone worse for the Kansas City Chiefs. Moments before they were knocked out of the playoff race, Andy Reid and co took a massive blow in the form of an injury to their quarterback, Patrick Mahomes. The 30-year-old two-time MVP was taken to the locker room late in his side's 16-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) is injured after being tackled by Los Angeles Chargers defensive tackle Da'Shawn Hand (AP)

Now, it looks like backup quarterback Gardner Minshew will have to start next week. In the little time he was in the game on Sunday, the 29-year-old threw an interception to Derwin James the Chargers a win.

However, the highlight of the day was Mahomes' injury. The star QB was sprinting toward the sideline and throwing the ball away when he was spun to the ground by defensive lineman Da'Shawn Hand. He was visibly in a lot of pain as he clutched his knee.

While fans feared an ACL issue, Andy Reid's statement only suggested that Mahomes could miss next week's game against the Tennessee Titans.

“It didn't look good,” the Chiefs coach said.

Reid said that Mahomes would undergo an MRI exam on his knee Sunday night or Monday, which would better reveal the extent of the injury.

“I’ll do whatever the coaches ask of me,” Minshew said, “and we’ll go try to win some games.” Mahomes finished Sunday's game with just 189 yards passing.

Injuries

Chargers: WR Quentin Johnson (groin) was inactive. S R.J. Mickens left with a shoulder injury.

Chiefs: CB Trent McDuffie (knee) was inactive. Thornton (concussion protocol) and RT Jaylon Moore (knee) left and did not return.

(With inputs from the Associated Press)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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