Bill Simmons worried about Albert Pujols-ish career arc for Patrick Mahomes after season-ending ACL tear

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered a season-ending ACL injury in the fourth quarter of his team's 16-13 loss to the LA Chargers in Week 15 on Sunday. Mahomes struggled with his passing when he was on the field, completing 16 of 28 passes with one interception, but added 15 yards and a touchdown on two carries. However, the Chiefs' loss on Sunday was their eighth of the season, effectively ruling them out of playoff contention.

This is the first time that the Chiefs will not make the playoffs with Mahomes, who had his eighth year in the league cut short due to injury. Moreover, analyst Bill Simmons is worried that the three-time Super Bowl-winning QB might have a decline from here onward, as he compared Mahomes to MLB icon Albert Pujols.

"This was the year from hell, ending with the terrible Mahomes injury," Simmons said on his podcast on Sunday. "So, it's Year 8 for Mahomes, three Super Bowls, and lost the Super Bowl in Year 7. ... (Tom) Brady, I think, tore his ACL in Year 9, and Mahomes is Year 8. "But even before the ACL (injury), it had to be asked, was this starting to feel a little (Albert) Pujols-ish. Like, somebody who just looked like one of the all-time guys ever in their 20s, and then in the 30s, it just tilted a bit. I guess we'll find out."

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Pujols played in the MLB for 22 seasons. He won three MVP awards and two World Series titles in his first stint with the St. Louis Cardinals.

However, many believed that Pujols had a dip in his batting performance after leaving St. Louis. There was an age factor, and injuries that seemingly hampered Pujols toward the second half of his career.

It will be interesting to see if Mahomes can make a strong comeback from his ACL injury next season.

Gardner Minshew expected to replace Patrick Mahomes as Chiefs' QB1 for the remainder of the 2025 NFL season

Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes - NFL 2025 - Source: Getty

When Patrick Mahomes suffered his ACL injury against the Chargers, he was replaced by Gardner Minshew. Minshew completed three of five passes for 22 yards with an interception.

Minshew is expected to take over as the Chiefs' starting quarterback for the rest of the regular season.

Edited by Arnold