Kansas City Chiefs stick with their recent trend of what they like in a backup QB with latest free agent signing
The Kansas City Chiefs are signing quarterback Gardner Minshew to a one-year contract. Minshew spent 2024 with the Las Vegas Raiders, earning their starting QB job to begin the season. After getting off to a 2-3 start and throwing five interceptions, Minshew was benched for Aidan O'Connell. He regained the starting role two weeks later […]
The Kansas City Chiefs are signing quarterback Gardner Minshew to a one-year contract.
Minshew spent 2024 with the Las Vegas Raiders, earning their starting QB job to begin the season. After getting off to a 2-3 start and throwing five interceptions, Minshew was benched for Aidan O'Connell. He regained the starting role two weeks later when O'Connell went down with an injury, and started the next four games.
In Week 11, he suffered a broken collarbone that would end his season. Overall, Minshew completed 66.3 percent of his passes for 2,013 yards, nine touchdowns, and 10 interceptions on the year. His days as a starter are likely behind him as he moves forward in his career, but being Patrick Mahomes' backup isn't too bad of a gig.
2025 will be Minshew's seventh NFL season. He was a sixth-round pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019, and unexpectedly became their starter when Nick Foles suffered a fractured clavicle in Week 1. He played well as a rookie, leading Jacksonville to part ways with Foles in 2020 and commit to Minshew as its starter.
Unfortunately, injuries and inconsistent play has plagued him ever since. He's had his moments, but has been an on-again, off-again starter over the past several years for the Philadelphia Eagles, Indianapolis Colts, and Raiders. Minshew does possess a solid career stat line overall with 11,950 passing yards, 68 TDs, and 34 interceptions. He is also fairly mobile, posting 679 career rushing yards and five rushing TDs.
Minshew doesn't have the strongest arm, but is pretty accurate and has a reputation for being a tough competitor. He has a unique look and personality, and when things are clicking for him fans refer to it as "Minshew Mania."
It will be interesting to see how he fits in coach Andy Reid's offense as he is a bit smaller than previous backups Carson Wentz, Blaine Gabbert, and Chad Henne. However, he does have plenty of experience with 46 career starts under his belt, which is something Kansas City has always valued.
Chiefs’ biggest miss of free agency tells us everything about what will be the team’s primary focus in the 2025 NFL draft
The Kansas City Chiefs failed to address one of their biggest needs in free agency, which shows it will be the primary focus of the 2025 NFL draft.
