The answer to the Kansas City Chiefs’ backup quarterback battle may be more complicated than usual
The backup quarterback competition this summer for the Kansas City Chiefs is one of the most compelling battles of the summer.
The Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback situation certainly looks better than it did eight months ago. Then? Patrick Mahomes’ season was over. Chris Oladokun posted less than 125 passing yards in two starts. Combined!
Things are looking up now, though. No matter what the discourse may say about whether Mahomes still has a claim to the NFL’s QB1 mantle or not, too. Because the situation behind Mahomes, who is still elite, has two very compelling layers. They both make up a fascinating battle this summer, too. Rookie Garrett Nussmeier and veteran Justin Fields will battle it out for the backup quarterback job. And Nussmeier’s skill set makes him a fascinating candidate to win it.
Why Garrett Nussmeier could win the Kansas City Chief’s backup QB job
Hear me out. Yes, Nussmeier has the physical profile of a career backup quarterback. He’s unassuming physically — although we did not see the best version of him in 2025 on account of injury. But his dad is an NFL offensive coordinator and Garrett plays like it. Execution and pre-snap operations was one of his defining strengths at LSU.
That’s been a big question with Justin Fields amid a frustrating career. He’s a dynamic athlete with rare physical tools, but the precision and processing demands of the Kansas City Chiefs’ system may ultimately favor a player who can step in and run the show without self-inflicted errors. That’s where Nussmeier can hunt down and, ultimately, pass Fields.
But even if Nussmeier wins the backup job, we shouldn’t dismiss Fields having a specific role. He can still exist in an adjacent capacity within the quarterback room — one that leans into his unique physical skill set rather than asking him to serve as a traditional backup. Fields could carve out a skill-specific role, something that capitalizes on his athleticism in designed packages or situational football. Short yardage? Low red zone? He’s a unique athlete at the position.
I’d suspect Andy Reid will explore every avenue to use him. But if that ends up being true, it further opens the door for the true backup job to go to Nussmeier when this thing is all said and done.
This is one of the more compelling storylines in Kansas City’s training camp this summer. Nussmeier’s football IQ and operational command give him a real path to earning the No. 2 job. Fields’ athleticism and the team’s financial commitment give him a path to staying relevant in the room. I can’t wait to see how this thing shakes out.
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