News Article
Published
Oct 14, 2026 at 04:37 PM EDT
Most teams would rather not draw a Week 5 bye, especially if they're cruising to a 4-0 start.
However, the early respite wasn't all bad for Patrick Mahomes.
The Kansas City Chiefs and Carolina Panthers were the NFL's first teams to get their 2026 bye in Week 5. Mahomes explained the positives of last week's breather as he returns from a torn ACL.
"For me, it gives my knee an extra week just to rest and stuff just like that," Mahomes told reporters Wednesday. "Obviously, I've felt great this season … but it kind of gives me another week where I can kind of [say], ‘'Alright, I got through that first few games.' Kind of reset, reevaluate where I'm at, and then move forward."
That said, Mahomes wasn't resting the entire week. The 31-year-old ran after his kids at home and took some hits from his young son, Bronze.
"I didn't not get tackled all week, so I'm ready to go for this week," Mahomes said.
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Mahomes has looked strong in his return to the gridiron, posting 1,037 passing yards, nine touchdowns, and two interceptions this season. The two-time MVP has his highest quarterback rating (106.2) since 2020 for the AFC's only remaining undefeated team.
A break may have come in handy later in the season, especially considering Kansas City's brutal schedule. The Chiefs have road games against the Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Rams, and Cincinnati Bengals over the next two months. They'll then host the New England Patriots and San Francisco 49ers.
An extra week of preparation may have helped Mahomes and Co. before one of those matchups. Instead, they recharged ahead of Sunday's AFC West showdown against the 0-5 Los Angeles Chargers.