Kansas City Chiefs face harsh reality of uncertain 2026 quarterback situation after Patrick Mahomes’ ACL injury
The quarterback position is a new problem for Kansas City Chiefs GM Brett Veach to figure out for 2026.
As if the Kansas City Chiefs didn’t have enough problems to solve during the 2026 NFL offseason, they’ve now got a massive question mark at quarterback that they’ll have to figure out.
A revamped running back room, a stronger pass rush, and life after Travis Kelce all had to be on general manager Brett Veach’s mind with the season winding down. Now, there are real concerns about the quarterback position after it was confirmed that Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL. The harsh reality is that Mahomes faces an eight-month recovery timeline at minimum, and that’s only if he doesn’t have any additional damage to other parts of the knee, which we don’t yet know about.
Mahomes will likely play during the 2026 NFL season, but the question is whether he will be ready to return for Week 1 in September. That might be a stretch, being that we’re sitting here with a fresh injury in mid-December, and it might take a week or two before his surgery occurs due to swelling and other circumstances. Even so, Veach has to be prepared for the worst-case scenario: Mahomes missing time in 2026 as he rehabs and recovers from the knee injury.
So, what exactly is the outlook for the Chiefs’ quarterback situation in 2026 sans Mahomes?
The Chiefs don’t have a single quarterback besides Patrick Mahomes under contract for 2026
As things stand on Dec. 15, 2025, Mahomes is the only quarterback under contract for the Chiefs during the 2026 NFL season. He was also due for a refreshed contract, which might now be pushed off in favor of a contract restructure while they figure out the outlook post-knee injury.
The team, however, doesn’t have a young quarterback they’ve been grooming behind Mahomes to take over. They’ve been going the veteran retread route for the entirety of Mahomes’ time as a starter without once investing in a developmental option behind him.
As far as the team’s current backup QB situation, Gardner Minshew is on a one-year deal, as is practice squad QB Chris Oladokun. Oladokun will be easy enough to re-sign and keep around, but if he’s playing any meaningful snaps beyond the scout team, something has likely gone horribly wrong for the football team.
Minshew’s deal is a vet minimum contract, as the Las Vegas Raiders were still paying him. The Chiefs could easily re-sign Minshew for more than the veteran minimum, but the question is whether they want to go that route. They got a six-play look at him in a high-leverage situation in Week 15, and he fell flat with an interception in a critical situation.
Gardner Minshew will get a 3-game audition to end the 2025 NFL season
The Chiefs’ 2025 NFL season might be over, with postseason hopes dead in Week 15, but they will learn a lot about the players on this team in the final three games of the season. None of those players has a bigger opportunity ahead than Minshew. He’ll very much be auditioning for a future role in Kansas City, one that could include starting games at the beginning of the 2026 NFL season.
Historically, Andy Reid has gotten a lot out of his backup quarterbacks, especially in Kansas City. Matt Moore had a 1-1 record as a starter when Mahomes got hurt during the 2019 NFL season. Chad Henne had a 0-1 record as a starter with the Chiefs, but went 23-of-32 for 218 yards and two touchdowns in his lone start. It’s hardly a stat line to scoff at.
Chiefs fans will never forget Henne’s postseason heroics against the Cleveland Browns in 2021 and the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2023, coming in for an injured Mahomes to help win games.
Can Minshew capture some of that magic in the final three weeks of the season? If he can, he could be lining himself up for a future in Kansas City. If he can’t, they will have to look for options in free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft.
Chiefs’ remaining 2025 NFL season schedule
- Week 16: @ Titans
- Week 17: vs. Broncos
- Week 18: @ Raiders
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