Mahomes' triumphant return made even sweeter after Brittany and the kids' emotional tribute brought everyone to tears

Patrick Mahomes had spent months talking about getting back for Week 1, but the most personal part of his comeback arrived before kickoff.

On the morning of Kansas City ’s season opener against the Denver Broncos , Brittany Mahomes shared a family video featuring messages from the couple’s children as their father prepared to play his first game since suffering a serious left knee injury in December.

“Daddy, I love you. I’m so happy you get to play football,” one of the children says in the video. “We’re so happy you get to play football again. And we get to watch you.”

Mahomes reposted the clip to his Instagram Stories with three red-heart emojis. There was no lengthy caption and no attempt to dress up the moment. After everything it took for him to get back on the field, the response was enough.

Fatherhood made early rehab especially difficult

Mahomes tore both the ACL and LCL in his left knee late last season and immediately began working toward a Week 1 return.

That process meant long days of rehabilitation, but Mahomes has said the hardest part initially had little to do with football.

“Honestly, the toughest part was at the beginning, not being able to get up and chase my kids around,” Mahomes said during training camp.

“I know it sounds crazy, but being a dad and being active, I always want to be around my kids and playing and stuff like that. That was tough.”

Being able to resume those everyday moments with Sterling, Bronze and Golden became another milestone in his recovery.

“But once I was able to do that, it kinda (sic) motivated me to keep getting better and better,” Mahomes said.

He also credited the people around him for helping make the return possible.

“It was a long offseason, a lot of work and a lot of great people around me, trainers, Brittany, and my family, supporting me,” Mahomes told reporters last week.

Mahomes had made his intentions clear months earlier.

“I don’t want to miss that game because that’s the team that won the division while we were gone and you want to be out there and ready to go with your teammates,” he said in July.

Brittany was at Arrowhead Stadium for the comeback and met Mahomes on the sideline before kickoff, where the couple shared a kiss before he returned to game action.

The night became even more emotional when Mahomes scored Kansas City’s first touchdown of the season.

Brittany posted the celebration from inside the stadium with a message that matched the moment: “HESSSSSS BACKKKKKKKK.”

Nine months earlier, Mahomes was facing surgery and an uncertain road back. By Monday night, his family was watching him play again.