The Kansas City Chiefs are playing their first preseason game on Saturday, Aug. 15, when they host the Los Angeles Rams at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. Chiefs fans will have to wait a little bit longer before they see their star quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, back on the field. Mahomes has spent the 2026 offseason recovering from a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee. By all accounts, the 30-year-old's rehabilitation is going well, but the Chiefs are slow-playing his return, with each party's No. 1 goal remaining to see Mahomes on the field for the team's Week 1 game against the Denver Broncos. Here's what to know about Mahomes' status for the Chiefs' first preseason contest, as well as information about when fans may see the three-time Super Bowl champion on the field again.
Is Patrick Mahomes playing today? Mahomes isn't playing in the Chiefs' preseason Week 1 game against the Rams. Andy Reid announced the 30-year-old's planned absence on Thursday, Aug. 13, and said Justin Fields, Garrett Nussmeier and Chris Oladokun would split the reps during Saturday's game. Reid hasn't committed to playing Mahomes in the preseason at all as the quarterback attempts to recover from the knee injury he suffered late in the 2025 NFL season. "I don’t know if I’ll play him the second or third game, I don’t know that, but the percentages likely lean against doing that," Reid told reporters of Mahomes on Friday, Aug. 7. "We’ve got new people in those other positions behind him that need some work, and so the more reps they get, the better." Who will start for Chiefs vs. Rams? Justin Fields is expected to start for the Chiefs in their preseason opener against the Rams. The 2021 first-round pick signed in Kansas City as a free agent to replace Gardner Minshew as the primary backup behind Mahomes. Fields, 27, spent the 2025 NFL season with the Jets. He posted a 2-7 record across nine starts, completing 62.7% of his passes for 1,259 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception while adding 383 yards and four touchdowns on 71 carries. The Chiefs will mark the fourth organization for which Fields has played over the last four seasons. He began his career with the Chicago Bears in 2021 before joining the Pittsburgh Steelers for the 2024 campaign. He then went to the Jets and now, he will look to carve out a long-term role with the Chiefs. Chiefs QB depth chart The Chiefs currently have four quarterbacks on their 90-man roster. Below is the pecking order within the unit, according to the team's unofficial website.
Patrick Mahomes Justin Fields Garrett Nussmeier Chris Oladokun
Nussmeier and Oladokun figure to battle for the third-string role behind Mahomes and Fields during the 2026 NFL preseason. Nussmeier is currently listed as the third-string quarterback on Kansas City's depth chart. The LSU product fell to the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft but completed 65.3% of his passes for 5,979 yards, 41 touchdowns and 17 interceptions across his two seasons as a primary starter for the Tigers. Meanwhile, Oladokun has been with the Chiefs since 2022. He made his first two career starts last season, going 0-2 while completing 63.6% of his passes for 235 yards and one touchdown. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is Patrick Mahomes playing today? Chiefs QB's status for preseason Week 1 vs Rams