Patrick Mahomes Misses 2026 ESPYS Nomination Again As Kansas City Chiefs QB Gears Up For Return From Injury

A difficult offseason for Patrick Mahomes has taken another unexpected turn. After slipping behind Joe Burrow in CBS Sports' recent Top 100 rankings, the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback has now also been left off the 2026 ESPYS nominations. It marks the second straight year Mahomes has not received a nomination, a sharp contrast to the regular recognition he enjoyed earlier in his career. The omission comes as the Chiefs prepare for a crucial bounce-back season following a disappointing 2025 campaign.

Patrick Mahomes left off ESPYS nominations again

ESPN announced the nominees for the 2026 ESPYS this week, and Mahomes was absent from the Best NFL Player category for the second consecutive year. Before the last two seasons, Mahomes had become a familiar face at the awards. He earned Best NFL Player nominations in 2019, 2021, 2023 and 2024, while also appearing in categories such as Best Male Athlete and Best Athlete in Men's Sports. His biggest ESPYS success came in 2024 when he won both Best NFL Player and Best Athlete, Men's Sports after leading the Chiefs to another Super Bowl title. 

The latest snub follows a season that fell well below Kansas City's usual standards. The Chiefs finished 6-11, missed the playoffs for the first time since Mahomes became their starting quarterback, and failed to win the AFC West after dominating the division for nine straight years.

Mahomes' own numbers also dipped before his season ended early. He threw for 3,587 yards and 22 touchdowns in 14 games before suffering torn ACL and LCL injuries against the Los Angeles Chargers in December. It was his lowest touchdown total since 2018.

Kansas City Chiefs focused on Patrick Mahomes' comeback

Kansas City spent the offseason trying to address several weaknesses on both sides of the ball. The team added running backs Kenneth Walker III and Emari Demercado, brought back wide receiver Tyquan Thornton, and re-signed Travis Kelce as it looks to strengthen the offense.

Defensively, the Chiefs also struggled in 2025. Opponents converted 43.6 percent of their third downs, while Kansas City finished with just 33 sacks during the season.
Mahomes remains the biggest focus heading into training camp. The Chiefs want him back for full 11-on-11 practices before the preseason and hope he can play in exhibition games to rebuild chemistry with his teammates.

Because ACL recoveries often take between nine and 12 months, the team plans to monitor his progress closely. Head coach Andy Reid has said Mahomes' recovery will be evaluated "day by day" during training camp. With camp beginning on July 29 and the final preseason game scheduled for Aug. 28 against the Seattle Seahawks, the coming weeks could determine whether the former MVP is fully ready for Week 1.