Patrick Mahomes’ changing appearance through the years has NFL fans saying the same thing

Patrick Mahomes has collected three Super Bowl championships, three Super Bowl MVP awards and two NFL MVP honors during his remarkable run with the Kansas City Chiefs. Yet after seeing how the quarterback’s appearance has changed over the years, NFL fans were left wondering whether Mahomes has aged at all.

Mahomes has endured plenty of wear and tear while developing into one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. His latest challenge is a torn ACL suffered in December, an injury that has made his recovery one of the biggest storylines surrounding Kansas City entering the 2026 season.

Despite everything Mahomes has experienced since becoming the Chiefs’ starting quarterback, a collection of photos posted Tuesday had fans making the same observation.

He really does not look much different.

NFL fans react to Patrick Mahomes’ appearance

The NFL shared a series of photos on Instagram showing Mahomes from 2019 through the 2026 offseason. Although there were a few noticeable changes, including different headbands, fewer wristbands, shorter hair and a thicker goatee, Mahomes’ overall appearance remained strikingly similar.

That immediately caught the attention of fans.

“He looks the exact same. Is he AI?” one fan wrote, according to Athlon Sports.

“Looks exactly the same! Love you Patrick!” another fan commented.

“He hasn’t aged, he just gets more handsome,” one reaction read.

Another fan asked a simple question: “Does he age??? He looks the same.”

“Never will age!!!!” another person added.

The side-by-side comparison was especially interesting because of everything that has happened during the period covered by the photos.

Mahomes was only beginning to establish himself as the face of the NFL in 2019. He had already won his first league MVP award, but his championship run in Kansas City was just getting started. Since then, Mahomes has led the Chiefs to three Super Bowl victories and established himself as the defining quarterback of his generation. Kansas City selected him with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, and he has spent his entire career with the franchise.

His resume has changed dramatically. His appearance apparently has not.

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Mahomes faces biggest comeback challenge of his career

While fans had fun with the photos, Mahomes is currently dealing with a far more serious issue. The Chiefs quarterback continues to recover from the torn ACL he suffered in December. Reports have suggested that he could return as early as Week 1, although Kansas City will have to carefully monitor his progress leading into the season.

The injury came during a disappointing year for the Chiefs, who missed the playoffs for the first time since Mahomes became their full-time starting quarterback. Kansas City responded by making several notable offseason moves.

The Chiefs re-signed longtime Mahomes target Travis Kelce and acquired reigning Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III to strengthen the offense. They also signed Justin Fields, giving the team an experienced option at quarterback while Mahomes works his way back. Fields could provide important insurance if Mahomes is not cleared for the season opener. If Mahomes is ready, Fields could still give Kansas City additional flexibility as a backup and situational weapon.

The Chiefs are counting on those additions to help them return to the postseason, but their championship hopes will ultimately depend on Mahomes’ health. The quarterback in the 2026 photo might look almost identical to the player pictured seven years earlier. Getting back to playing like that younger version of himself after a major knee injury will be the much more important challenge.

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