Patrick Mahomes is officially back.The Kansas City Chiefs took an early 7-0 lead in Monday’s season opener against the Denver Broncos as Mahomes reeled off a 15-yard touchdown run on his surgically repaired knee. After rookie first-round pick Mansoor Delane picked off Denver quarterback Bo Nix on the opening drive, the Chiefs took over the Broncos’ 46-yard line before Mahomes capped the 11-play drive with his first rushing touchdown since the fateful December 14 game against the Chargers last season. Mahomes would go on to tear the ACL and LCL in his left knee that night. Mahomes actually scored on a five-yard run on the previous play, but that was called back due to a holding call on undrafted rookie Kahlil Benson. Unfortunately for the Chiefs, 10 of Mahomes’ first 12 passes fell incomplete to start the game. However, Mahomes did bounce back by completing five consecutive passes, including a 13-yard touchdown to Rashee Rice to give Kansas City a 14-7 lead before halftime.His knee injury could have taken a year or longer to heal. Instead, Mahomes escaped escaped training camp without any setbacks and skipped the preseason entirely, and somehow managed to make his triumphant return on Monday at Arrowhead Stadium. Mahomes gives his teammates a pep talk before taking the field against the Broncos Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes dives in the end zone for a touchdown’It’s incredible,’ Chiefs general manager Brett Veach told ESPN of Mahomes’ recovery this week. ‘That’s a guy that defines what leadership and what the face of a franchise should look like. He gave up an entire summer. He just attacked [the rehab]. Everybody in the building sees it. The level of sacrifice is something that has been an example throughout the entire organization.’The foremost reason for Mahomes’ expedited recovery was his decision to have knee surgery immediately after suffering the injury in December. So while he was naturally disappointed to be sidelined as the Chiefs were missing the playoffs for the first time since 2014, he still decided to fly to Dallas a day later for the procedure. For their part, the Broncos were expecting nothing less than the quarterback who has gone 13-2 against Denver since becoming the Chiefs’ starter in 2018. ‘I think Patrick’s gonna be Patrick,’ Denver defensive coordinator Vance Joseph told reporters. ‘In my opinion, he wouldn’t play if he couldn’t be himself. He’s had a good summer and spring to kind of rehab, and from what I hear and what I read, he’s feeling great. … So, we’ll get his best shot.”I’m going to probably say the same for Bo, you’ve seen enough things where he’s going to be 100% and we’re preparing for him at his best,’ Broncos head coach Sean Payton agreed. ‘We know how talented he is and I’m sure he’s attacked the rehab the way Bo has – with completely different injuries. That’s kind of our approach to it.’One major concern entering the key Monday Night Football matchup is the Chiefs’ offensive line. A stoic Mahomes walks in at Arrowhead Stadium before Monday’s game against DenverDue to a back issue, second-year left tackle Josh Simmons was declared out, forcing Benson to protect Mahomes’ blind side against a Broncos team that led the NFL in sacks last season.For his part, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid seemed optimistic about Benson, as he explained to reporters this week.’He’s done a nice job for us,’ Reid said. ‘He’s obviously shown us that he has the ability to play. We wouldn’t put him in there if we didn’t think that. We’ve all been through that. I think when we first got hired, we thought we probably were pretty good at it, so I want his confidence to be that and go out and play and just use his abilities.’The reigning AFC West champions also got their signal caller back on Monday as Nix returned from his season-ending ankle injury that kept him out of Denver’s AFC Championship loss to the New England Patriots.But unlike Mahomes, Nix did play in the preseason, completing 6 of 9 passes for 76 yards and a touchdown.He bounced back from an early interception to complete five of his next six passes, including a touchdown toss to tight end Evan Engram.