Kansas City Chiefs rookie QB Garrett Nussmeier to get rare opportunity to start in preseason Week 3 vs. Seattle Seahawks
The young gunslinger, Garrett Nussmeier, will be the Kansas City Chiefs’ preseason Week 3 starter against the Seattle Seahawks. He’ll have a chance to play all four quarters if things go according to plan.
For the first time in his young NFL career, Kansas City Chiefs rookie QB Garrett Nussmeier will play the role of starter.
Chiefs HC Andy Reid spoke to the media on Wednesday, confirming to reporters that Nussmeier would be the starter for preseason Week 3 vs. the Seattle Seahawks. Patrick Mahomes won’t play. Chris Oladokun is ruled out with a concussion.
“I might as well address that while (we’re on the subject),” Reid said. “The young kid’s going to go. Nuss (Garrett Nussmeier) is going to go, you know, start the game. Those two (Oladokun and Nussmeier) were going to split the game. It has nothing to do with Justin (Fields). This was all (decided) in advance, so don’t make anything of that.”
On the subject of Justin Fields, the Chiefs are giving him the opportunity to work as a true backup quarterback. The expectation is that Nussmeier will play all four quarters of preseason Week 3, unless there is an injury situation. At that point, Fields would sub in for Nussmeier.
“Ah, there’s a chance, yeah,” Reid said of Nussmeier playing the full game. “Justin (Fields). I told him just keep (his arm) loose there, you know. But if not, then Garrett (Nussmeier). I’m sure they all would love to play a full game, and now he has a chance, potentially.”
Starting a full preseason game as a late-round rookie draft pick is about as rare an opportunity as it comes in the NFL preseason.
A massive opportunity for Kansas City Chiefs rookie QB Garrett Nussmeier
The big question at the quarterback position heading into roster cuts is whether the Chiefs will keep three QBs on the 53-man roster. The No. 249 pick in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft, Nussmeier has made it a no-brainer through two preseason games. He can put an exclamation point on that with preseason Week 3.
Not only does he have a chance to end Kansas City’s preseason win drought, but he can build on his personal performances. In his first two preseason games, Nussmeier has played about as well as you could hope for. In Week 1 against the Los Angeles Rams, Nussmeier completed 13 of his 19 passes for 98 yards. Last week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Nussmeier completed 9 of 17 passes for 74 yards. Touchdown passes have eluded him to this point, but he’s looked quite sharp.
Realistically, I don’t think that he’ll be able to supplant Fields as QB2 this season. However, he’s already made a strong case to be the backup quarterback in Kansas City in 2027. He’s on a cheap four-year rookie contract and can give the Chiefs some salary relief at the backup QB spot for at least three seasons.
