"He knows they're drafting Jeremiyah Love," "Insufferable": NFL fans react to Patrick Mahomes smiling as Chiefs lose to Broncos

The Kansas City Chiefs have been without Patrick Mahomes since he sustained a season-ending torn ACL two weeks ago, an injury that required surgery and officially ended his 2025 campaign.

Although sidelined, Mahomes made an appearance at Arrowhead Stadium on Christmas Day, watching from the stands as the Chiefs suffered a 20-13 loss to the Denver Broncos, their fifth consecutive defeat.

In a video circulating on X, Mahomes was caught on camera smiling as quarterback Bo Nix threw a late touchdown pass to running back RJ Harvey that put the Broncos ahead 19-13 with under two minutes left.

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The moment drew widespread attention and prompted a wave of fan reactions online.

"He knows he’s about to get a new top 10 pick weapon to throw to," one fan said. "He knows their drafting Jeremiyah Love next season," another said. "He knows that gets them a better pick. I’d be smiling too if I were a fan," another fan commented.

While some fans believe Mahomes smiled because the loss could improve the Chiefs’ draft position, others were quick to criticize the quarterback for his reaction.

"That throw saved his legacy. Mahomes couldn’t beat Denver in a must-win game with a full roster. Imagine if the practice squad guy pulled it off with that supporting cast," one fan said. "Insufferable," another fan claimed. "That ain't right. For whatever the reason. Show some class," one person added.

As things stand, the Chiefs would pick 12th overall in the draft if the season ended today, though that spot is far from locked in with two rounds of games remaining for other teams. They still have their regular-season finale against the Las Vegas Raiders on Jan. 4.

Following the Washington Commanders’ loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Christmas Day, the highest the Chiefs could realistically climb is the eighth pick. The New Orleans Saints and Cincinnati Bengals, both sitting at 5-10, could also influence Kansas City’s final draft position over the final two weeks.

Will Patrick Mahomes return to start the 2026 season with the Chiefs?

Patrick Mahomes’ season came to a premature end in Week 15 after he suffered a knee injury during the Kansas City Chiefs’ matchup against the LA Chargers. The Chiefs were officially eliminated from playoff contention shortly after, following a 16-13 loss.

The two-time MVP ended the season with 3,587 passing yards, 22 touchdowns and a 62.7 completion percentage.

The Chiefs announced on Dec. 15 that Mahomes successfully underwent ACL surgery, which was performed by Dr. Cooper, and that his rehab has officially begun.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that the star quarterback is expected to be sidelined for approximately nine to 12 months, making mid-September the earliest realistic timetable for his return.

While Mahomes’ rehab has officially begun, it’s still unknown whether he will miss significant time in 2026. His availability will be dictated by how efficiently he recovers from the ACL surgery.

Edited by R. Elahi