Travis Kelce Reacts to Patrick Mahomes' Torn ACL and Surgery: 'It Was Almost Like It Wasn't Real'
- - Travis Kelce Reacts to Patrick Mahomes' Torn ACL and Surgery: 'It Was Almost Like It Wasn't Real'
Rachel McRadyDecember 17, 2025 at 5:19 AM
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Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes on the field in January 2024 -
Travis Kelce opened up about the Kansas City Chiefs' devastating loss against the Los Angeles Chargers and his teammate Patrick Mahomes' torn ACL on the Dec. 17 episode of his New Heights podcast
The Chiefs lost 13-16 to the Chargers on Sunday, Dec. 14, and Mahomes suffered a season-ending injury
“It's never easy seeing your guys go down," Travis, 36, said
Travis Kelce is sending love to his teammate and friend Patrick Mahomes.
The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback, 30, took a bad hit in the final two minutes of the team’s Dec. 14, game against the Los Angeles Chargers and was seen lying on the field clutching his left knee.
Following an MRI, the team later confirmed that the quarterback suffered a torn ACL. Just one day later, the Chiefs announced Mahomes had undergone surgery to repair his ACL, and, according to multiple outlets, he also needed a repair for a torn LCL.
“Obviously, we lost our quarterback, man. Patty Mahomes, our guy, our brother, our fearless leader, our face of the franchise, and, to an ACL,” Travis, 36, said on the Dec. 17 episode of his and brother Jason Kelce’s New Heights podcast. “It's never easy seeing your guys go down. We had a bunch of guys get hurt this past game, and we fought, man. We fought.”
Of Mahomes’ injury, Travis added, “And on a freakish play to see one five go down like that, man, it f------, it was almost like it wasn't real. And s--- just sucks, man.”
Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty
Patrick Mahomes on the ground after tearing his ACL on Dec. 14.
“For a guy that puts in that much and puts his body on the line week in, week out, and, you know, makes this football world he makes the best of it, man, by how hard he works,” the tight end continued of his quarterback. “And it just, it sucks, man.”
Noting that the ACL surgery “went well,” Travis added, “He's a warrior, man. I'm telling you. This guy's played through everything, battled through everything, has been crowned champion because he's battled through everything, and he's gonna battle through this. It's the only way this guy is wired, man. He's a fearless, fearless warrior when it comes to this football thing, and he's gonna make sure that he comes back stronger than ever.”
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Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes cheer on the field on Nov. 16.
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Sharing that the team wants Mahomes back “as soon as possible,” Travis said he knew the quarterback would be “doing everything he can to get back out on that field for the Chiefs.”
Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty
Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce celebrate AFC Championship win on Jan. 26, 2025
And while Travis expressed hope that Mahomes would be able to return to play for the Chiefs next season, the ACL surgery’s lengthy recovery time might impede that notion.
Dr. Yair Kissin — vice chairman of the department of orthopedic surgery at Hackensack University Medical Center — recently opened up to PEOPLE about the nature of Mahomes’ injury and the recovery time involved.
After surgery, recovery for a torn ACL takes nine to 12 months. Kissim says the timeline typically begins with athletes on crutches for four to six weeks and working on range of motion for the first two to three months.
“Nobody's super human,” Kissim said. “Yeah, we think that way when we see them on TV, but at the same time, just because a person is healthy and athletic doesn't necessarily mean they heal faster.”
on People
Source: “AOL Sports”
