Mahomes heads into the opener no longer thinking about the knee: 'I'm going to go out and be myself'

Patrick Mahomes will start the Chiefs' opener nine months after surgery to repair a December ACL tear, and the part he keeps returning to is that he has stopped measuring every step.

Speaking Thursday, Mahomes said being ready for Week 1 was the target all along, then repeatedly returned to the idea of playing the way he always has, legs included. Two practice moments convinced him the mental hurdle was cleared: a fourth-down scramble, and a hit from behind he never saw coming.

"Every coach was freaking out, but I was like, I'm glad someone hit me, and I didn't just crumble," Mahomes said. "Stuff like that is good for me. And so now it's just about going out there and playing the game."

He described the willingness to run as the product of an offseason of work rather than a risk he is ignoring. "I've built up the strength, I've built up all the days of rehab so I can be myself," he said. "I'm going to keep myself out of harm's way like I always will, not trying to take big hits and stuff like that. But I'm a competitor. I signed up for this, and I'm going to go out and play football."

Mahomes added that he does not plan to go looking for blocks "unless it's needed," and tied the whole approach to the trait he considers central to his game: "I think that's what makes me who I am, is that I just love competing."

The test arrives Monday night at Arrowhead against the division-rival Broncos.