Former Kansas City Chiefs coach shares thoughts on how to manage Patrick Mahomes’ return from injury — and the team would be wise to listen
Herm Edwards knows a thing or two about dealing with quarterback injuries from his time as a head coach with the New York Jets and the Kansas City Chiefs.
After the recent wave of news regarding the health of Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, everyone is wondering whether he’ll actually be ready to start the 2026 NFL season. If he is ready, the question then becomes: Will he be 100% healthy and the same player?
Speaking on a recent episode of NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football”, former Chiefs head coach Herm Edwards weighed in on how he’d handle Mahomes’ return to action.
Herm Edwards Quick Facts
Edwards began his NFL coaching career as a defensive backs coach for Kansas City in 1992 under Marty Schottenheimer. He’d go on to hold the same role with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996 through 2000 with the additional title of Assistant Head Coach. He was the head coach for only two NFL clubs.
- New York Jets (2001-2005)
- Kansas City Chiefs (2006-2008)
Edwards knows a thing or two about dealing with quarterback injuries. While with the Jets, Chad Pennington suffered a torn rotator cuff that impacted him in 2004 and 2005. After Edwards joined the Chiefs, Trent Green suffered a serious concussion that knocked him out for several weeks. Even backups like Brodie Croyle and Damon Huard got hurt during Edwards’ time in Kansas City.
Former Chiefs HC Herm Edwards explains how he’d handle Patrick Mahomes’ return from knee injury
Jamie Erdahl asked Edwards, “How would you manage him? Because he does, he probably doesn’t want to be told to, like, ‘Hey, Patrick, play within yourself. We don’t, we don’t take the boot outside too many times for us.’ How would you go about that if you were Andy Reid?”
In Edwards’ eyes, it’s all about making sure that Mahomes knows that returning to the field is a gradual process. It’s not going to be everything all at once.
“Well, you’re going to have to really sit down with him,” Edwards began. “And say, ‘Look, for the best interest of not only your career but this organization, this is how we’ve got to do it, early. And we’ll see how it goes. But we get the ball out. We’re going to give you one or two reads. If it’s not there, throw it away. You don’t have to… don’t play hero ball. We don’t need to do.’”
Realistically, the team will have to protect Mahomes from himself. Brett Veach has acknowledged that, even as OTAs, mandatory minicamp, and training camp approach.
“Let’s just get used to playing,” Edwards continued. “He’s missed football games. It’s different now. I mean, he hasn’t played live football, and all of a sudden it’s live, and it’s like, ‘Wait a minute now.’ Don’t go… Give him some structure. This is what you’re going to do. Bring it along slow, and as the season goes on, you put a little bit more on this plate.”
Even a former coach like Edwards knows that the training wheels will have to come off eventually. A good system, structure, and plan for him will set him up for both immediate and long-term success in 2026.