The Kansas City Chiefs were eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday afternoon, adding to what's been a tumultuous year. If the heartbreaking divisional loss to the Los Angeles Chargers wasn't bad enough, quarterback Patrick Mahomes left the game and limped to the locker room after suffering a knee injury in the fourth quarter.
After the game, head coach Andy Reid told NFL insider Ian Rapoport that Mahomes' injury "didn't look good" and that he'll undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the situation.
- Update (Dec. 14, 7:23 p.m. ET): ESPN's Adam Schefter confirmed that Mahomes tore his ACL.
Mahomes’ injury will be Chiefs fans' main concern, even if the final three games are meaningless. Backup QB Gardner Minshew, who tossed an interception in relief of Mahomes on Sunday, is even more of an afterthought as it's unlikely he’ll return to Kansas City this offseason due to his pending unrestricted free agency.
But just before Chiefs fans give up on the team's quarterback situation, there’s one player who could be worth monitoring between now and the end of the season. The Chiefs have put a lot of trust into third-string quarterback Chris Oladokun over the years, and the next three weeks could provide an opportunity to validate it if Mahomes is out for an extended period of time.
Patrick Mahomes’s Injury Gives Big Opportunity to Chris Oladokun
A fourth-year quarterback out of South Dakota State, Oladokun has spent his entire career bouncing between the practice squad, active roster, and waiver system. The 29-year-old was even released at the end of training camp and has been signed six times by the Chiefs after he was released by the Pittsburgh Steelers in Aug. 2022 and has been the de facto third- or fourth-string quarterback as Kansas City has enjoyed its glory days.
But with Mahomes’s injury, Oladokun could be pushed into a bigger role. Minshew is likely to start if Mahomes misses time, and it may be for the best as the Chiefs officially have nothing to play for. If Mahomes is out of the equation, Oladokun could be elevated from the practice squad to serve as the backup quarterback, making him one play away from getting into the game.
While he’s appeared in just one game since entering the league, Oladokun showed he’s capable of getting the job done at South Dakota State. That said, he's been mostly a preseason presence since moving on to the NFL, completing just 59.8% for 551 passing yards, two touchdowns to three interceptions, and a 72.8 passer rating in nine exhibition games (one start).
If Oladokun gets a chance to play and impresses, he could push to be the backup quarterback in Kansas City next season, crossing an item off their to-do list. If he doesn’t, the Chiefs could finally move on and throw the towel on the experiment, as his contract will expire in the offseason.
Some end-of-season action would be a major opportunity that could help Oladokun avoid the carousel he’s been on over the past several seasons. Now, only time will tell if the Chiefs will put him in a position to showcase his talents.