Chiefs general manager Brett Veach provides injury updates on Mahomes, Schwartz, Fisher
The Chiefs’ offseason includes quarterback Patrick Mahomes, right tackle Mitchell Schwartz and left tackle Eric Fisher recovering from surgery.
General manager Brett Veach on Monday provided timelines for the trio’s return.
Veach said Mahomes’ rehabilitation from toe surgery, which was performed on Feb. 10, is a “three-month” recovery process. The team is eyeing Mahomes being available for on-field work in June, depending on ongoing COVID-19 protocols.
“We’re hopeful somewhere around that mandatory minicamp if we have (it),” Veach said. “We certainly think by training camp he will be good to go, and we’ll be smart with him.”
Mahomes suffered a turf toe injury in January’s AFC Divisional Round matchup against the Cleveland Browns but played through the ailment as the Chiefs advanced to Super Bowl LV before losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
As for Fisher (Achilles) and Schwartz (back), who form the bookend blocking tandem for Mahomes, Veach said the team hopes both veteran tackles are available for training camp.
Schwartz, who missed 11 regular-season games and the entire postseason, announced his surgery via Twitter in late February, while Fisher had a medical procedure on Jan. 29 after suffering a ruptured left Achilles tendon in the AFC Championship Game.
“We’re hopeful both these guys will complete their rehab and be available for training camp and start the 2021 season,” Veach said.
Fisher’s projection might appear aggressive given the typical recovery time from a ruptured Achilles, which could be anywhere between four to six months, or up to 11 months, depending on the individual.
Veach said the Chiefs’ optimism regarding Fisher’s return is based on the projection of Rick Burkholder, who serves as the team’s vice president of sports medicine and performance, and the Chiefs’ medical staff.
“I think with that injury and with the time leading up for the season, Rick has here a mid-August return, and you know how that works,” Veach said. “It’s always ‘to be determined’ until the player actually reports back to camp and goes through the offseason and (we) see where he is.
“But I think the mid-August timeline was put in front of my notes, so I’ll defer to Rick on that and trust his medical expertise.”
For now, the Chiefs will prepare for a 2021 season that includes contributions from all three recovering players.
“We’d probably say Pat’s ahead of them, just because of that type of injury and probably quicker recovery,” Veach said. “But hopefully we’ll have all three ready to go by training camp.”
