Mahomes’ torn ACL and LCL in his left knee represents the most serious injury of his nine-year career, requiring surgery and a recovery timeline of approximately nine months. However, the Chiefs are optimistic that he might be able to return for the opening games of the 2026 season. This injury brought into perspective how valuable his line is and how hard it is to pressure a quarterback like Mahomes.Amid this challenging period, Mahomes’ family had a moment of celebration. On January 12, 2026, his wife Brittany Mahomes marked the first birthday of their youngest child, Golden Raye Mahomes. Brittany took to Instagram to share a glimpse of her sunshine girl with a caption, “Celebrated our Golden girl with the best crew💛☀️”Golden joins siblings Sterling Skye Mahomes, four, and Patrick “Bronze” Lavon Mahomes III, three, rounding out the growing Mahomes family.

The birth, announced last year during the Chiefs’ bye week, brought a rare bright spot to an otherwise difficult season.While Mahomes is working on the healing process, his franchise is also working on the reconstruction of the team, which finished the 2025 season with a record of 6-11, third place in the AFC West. Managing his health and family life, Mahomes looks to come back stronger, taking the lessons from the experience of 2025 into the new season.

Brittany Mahomes/Instagram

Brittany has posted a lot of adorable Golden moments of late like her incredible balancing skills as if she’s playing QB like dad keeping his feet to avoid a sack. She also  had an epic meltdown meeting Santa for the first time this Christmas in a fail a lot of parents can relate to. Recently, she gushed over Golden’s adorable curly hair and how long it’s gotten.

While dad and the Chiefs were off their game this season, Golden was a star when she’d show up matching mom.

Brittany Mahomes/Instagram

Golden’s big birthday

For the big 1st birthday, mom got emotional in a picture she shared on Instagram Stories with her daughter. Brittany wrote, “My baby is ONE 🥹😭” while Golden stole the show as always.

Brittany Mahomes/Instagram

Mom would later post showing her elite birthday party and cake.

Brittany Mahomes/Instagram

Brittany Mahomes/Instagram

Happy first birthday to Golden Mahomes and to many more. How fast they grow up.

Brittany Mahomes/Instagram

Steelers Defensive Leader T.J. Watt Speaks Out to Defend QB Aaron Rodgers Amid Fierce Backlash from the NFL Community

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Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – January 13, 2026

In an NFL where a single moment can be magnified into a national controversy, T.J. Watt chose to stand by his teammate — not with a play on the field, but with the voice of a true leader.

In the days following the Wild Card loss, the conversation drifted away from schemes and pivotal plays. Instead, attention centered on Aaron Rodgers — the league MVP and quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers — after an emotional postgame moment and blunt remarks to the media. Clips stripped of context spread rapidly, igniting a wave of fierce criticism across the NFL community.

Amid that atmosphere, Watt stepped forward and did what the Steelers have always valued most: he protected one of their own.

After practice, the defensive leader addressed reporters with calm conviction, delivering a message meant not just for fans, but for the entire league.

“I know people are hurting, but don’t forget that Aaron Rodgers is the foundation we’re standing on. One imperfect sentence can’t erase a lifetime of sacrifice, leadership, and greatness in Pittsburgh. If we truly love this franchise, we stand by the legends who gave everything to it.”

Those words immediately shifted the tone of the debate. The harshest criticism began to soften. Several analysts acknowledged the situation had been pushed too far, while former Steelers players praised Watt for “putting respect back where it belongs.”

Inside the Steelers’ building, Watt’s message carried even greater weight. Rodgers is not just an MVP or a headline-making acquisition. He is a quarterback who stepped into one of the NFL’s most tradition-rich locker rooms, committed himself fully to the team, and carried the burden of revival on his shoulders. According to Watt, the emotions Rodgers showed after the loss reflected investment — not selfishness.

The moment also underscored Watt’s expanding role within the organization. He is no longer only the face of the defense or a relentless pass-rusher. He is becoming a guardian of the Steelers’ cultural standard, reminding everyone what Pittsburgh stands for when outside noise grows loudest.

In a league increasingly driven by controversy, algorithms, and rushed judgment, the Steelers were instead defined by something older and more enduring: loyalty.

And this time, that value wasn’t defended with a sack — but with the right words, at the right moment, from T.J. Watt.