The Kansas City Chiefs have seen plenty of quarterbacks come and go over the years, particularly during the recent dynastic run. From Chad Henne to Matt Moore to Chris Oladokun to Blaine Gabbert and beyond, the preseason has specifically been a time to see a variety of players helming Patrick Mahomes' usual spot.
It's always fun to watch Mahomes, though these exhibition moments give fans a chance to remember what it was like before the three-time Super Bowl MVP came to town and an opportunity to learn about some new players.
One guy who won the fan base over in recent years was dual-threat signal caller Shane Buechele. He shined in 2023 and many wanted him to make the team, though he was ultimately cut and joined the Buffalo Bills. Now, he's been gifted a chance to save his career, whether by staying in Buffalo or putting on impressive tape for other organizations in the NFL.
Josh Allen will not play Saturday in Preseason Week 1 vs the Giants.
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) August 7, 2025
More updates from Coach McDermott: https://t.co/cW5gyVNTCa pic.twitter.com/WHVTI0xbh4
Former Chiefs QB Shane Buechele Gifted Golden Preseason Chance by Bills
Buechele, who was with Kansas City from 2021 to 2023, stands to benefit from Bills head coach Sean McDermott's Thursday announcement that quarterback Josh Allen would not play in the first preseason game on Saturday.
Primarily a practice squad player, Buechele is fourth on the depth chart. If Allen took up valuable snaps in the first quarter, they'd only reduce Buechele's time on the field. Mitchell Trubisky and Mike White figure to be the backup and third-string options, so the ex-Chief is mostly hoping to put enough good plays on tape that he can remain a professional player.
To his credit, Buechele has some stellar moments under his belt.
Mahomes effect has gotten to Shane Buechele! Touchdown #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/lfjXHjsEwF
— #15 (@KCchiefsfr) August 13, 2023
On top of that Mahomes-esque touchdown throw above, Buechele completed all 10 of his attempts against the Arizona Cardinals in 2023 for 105 yards. He scored two rushing TDs as well, displaying his unique skill set for someone at 27 years old. Shining in two consecutive preseasons, he had a memorable 155-yard, two-TD performance against the New Orleans Saints and a 166-yard, two-TD effort against the Green Bay Packers as well.
Buechele did, unfortunately, suffer a significant neck injury in the 2024 preseason with the Bills. He was placed on the injured reserve list, yet returned to Buffalo on a contract after the season. That shows the coaching staff's belief in his ability, and the former SMU standout deserves the chance to land on someone's practice squad at the very least.
We'll see what happens in that first contest this weekend, but fans should be cheering Buechele on and hope he performs well. This is a career that deserves to keep going, especially after the excitement he brought to the Kingdom in recent Augusts.