Kansas City is preparing to host the 2023 NFL Draft starting on April 27. However, the Super Bowl parade might still continue there after defeating the Philadelphia Eagles. Although that is only for the fans, since the front office moved to sign a quarterback as a backup to Patrick Mahomes.
The Chiefs celebrated the title obtained in February after an impressive run in the playoffs. They beat the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Cincinnati Bengals, and the Eagles on their way to win another championship. But there is no denying they had a massive injury scare that put their hopes in jeopardy.
Mahomes had to leave the divisional round against the Jaguars early, leaving room for Chad Henne to play meaningful snaps. His ankle injury bothered him during that stretch, so it’s never a bad idea to have a plan in place in case of emergency. Their decision was to sign a veteran that has worked behind Tom Brady.
Chiefs get experienced quarterback as Patrick Mahomes’ backup
Henne did exactly what is expected from a backup quarterback. He did so by leading a 98-yard drive that ended in a Travis Kelce touchdown to keep their hopes alive vs Jacksonville. The veteran had another successful playoff appearance against the Cleveland Browns in the past, although he retired after the Super Bowl. His retirement meant they needed to find another veteran for the role.
Kansas City Chiefs signed Blaine Gabbert to be their new backup quarterback behind Mahomes, according to “The Pat McAfee Show”. The Chiefs have a very well-designed offense that runs through their two-time NFL MVP, but with Andy Reid calling the plays they could remain effective with a veteran in case of an emergency exit from their superstar.
Gabbert is a 12-year veteran in the league that should help in that function. He was the 10th overall pick by the Jaguars in 2011. The quarterback has 48 career starts, although he has been mostly a backup lately. His experience could be very valuable since he sat behind Brady the last three seasons playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.