The Kansas City Chiefs must now plan on tackling the 2026 season in a much different way than they've been approaching the game since 2018. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL in Sunday's heartbreaking, fate-sealing loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, leaving his prospects of playing in 2026 up in the air.
The franchise pillar is now on the shelf for what may be the entire season, if not the majority of it. There's no time to dwell on his injury, though, as it'll be Week 16 before the Chiefs know it, and somebody will have to start under center. In this case, that'll likely be season NFL journeyman Gardner Minshew.
Head coach Andy Reid expressed belief in Minshew taking over for Mahomes for the rest of the 2025 season, which will now have a different goal with the postseason now officially out of the question for this campaign.
“That’s a tough deal, but (Minshew’s) a big boy,” Reid said, via Chiefs insider Pete Sweeney. “He’s done it (before). He’s played before, so he understands the role.”
While it's been a while, Minshew was once an effective leader under center early in his career. He's two years removed from a near-playoff berth, filling in as the Indianapolis Colts' starter with Anthony Richardson sidelined. In 13 starts, Minshew had a career-high 3,305 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, and 305 completions to go along with a Pro Bowl nod. He also stepped up for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024, starting in nine of their first 10 games.
Now, Minshew has a chance to step up in Mahomes' absence in a big way. If he can prove himself in the Chiefs' remaining three games, he could be in the mix to be the QB1 in 2026.
Gardner Minshew Has Smooth Landing Ahead With Easy Schedule
Playing on an expiring contract, it's crucial for Minshew to make the most of the next few weeks. The Chiefs obviously won't be as competitive without Mahomes, no matter who's under center, but that doesn't change the fact that they don't need someone who'll make the 2026 campaign more grueling than it has to be.
The next three weeks provide a golden opportunity for Minshew to win Chiefs Kingdom over. The Denver Broncos may have little to play for in Week 17, so Minshew may catch a defense playing with less urgency. Otherwise, he faces a Tennessee Titans defense that's already given up and a Raiders squad that's competing with the Titans for the No. 1 overall pick, while also giving Minshew a chance to get revenge on his former team.
In other words, he couldn't be asking for a more favorable schedule. Throw in the fact that this offseason's list of free-agent QBs isn't anything special, and it's easy to see why Chiefs fans will be rooting for Minshew.
It'll be interesting to see what he does next, to say the least. Capitalize on his upcoming opportunities, and Minshew will likely be the starting signal-caller come Week 1. But if not, the Chiefs might have no choice but to settle for a less-than-favorable option.