For the first time in his career, Patrick Mahomes will not play in the playoffs. The news shakes the NFL after the Kansas City Chiefs lost 16–13 to the Los Angeles Chargers. The defeat sealed their elimination, but it also brought a far more serious consequence. Mahomes suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament, which ended his season.
Kansas City dominated the AFC West for nine straight years. The team appeared in five of the last six Super Bowls, but that run stopped on Sunday. Head coach Andy Reid spoke bluntly after the game. “It didn’t look good,” he said. Hours later, reports confirmed the severity of the injury.
According to an Athlon Sports report, the injury occurred on the Chiefs’ final drive. Kansas City needed a field goal to tie or a touchdown to win. Mahomes led the offense with two minutes remaining and moved the ball to the 46-yard line. On first down, he rolled to his right and threw an incomplete pass. Chargers defensive end Da’Shawn Hand hit him as he released the ball, and Mahomes’ left knee buckled awkwardly as he fell. He walked off the field on his own, but cautiously.
A season that ends the hard way
Veteran backup Gardner Minshew replaced Mahomes, and six plays later he threw an interception. With 20 seconds left, the Chargers kneeled to run out the clock. The game ended and Kansas City fell to a 6–8 record.
Even without the elimination, the outlook was already difficult. Reid now faces his toughest challenge. Since 2013, he has won at least 11 games in 11 of his first 12 seasons. His worst finish came in 2014 at 9–7. This year, the best possible record is 9–8, which falls short of previous standards.
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes did in fact tear his ACL. pic.twitter.com/3YSufi4aez
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 15, 2025
Mahomes closes his most modest season statistically. Against the Chargers, he completed 16 of 28 passes for 189 yards, with no touchdowns and one interception. On the season, he totaled 3,587 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. Those numbers represent career lows as a full-time starter. In 2024, he threw for 3,928 yards and 26 touchdowns.
For the first time since 2021, the AFC will send a Super Bowl representative other than the Chiefs, creating a historic shift. Reid described the locker room honestly. “The guys are down,” he said. He also acknowledged his own emotions. “I can’t tell you that I’m happy,” he added.
Kansas City now approaches the final stretch surrounded by uncertainty. Mahomes’ season is over, and the immediate future demands emotional and competitive rebuilding.
