Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs must prepare for a potential start to the 2026 season without Patrick Mahomes. Although all the injury updates have been positive during the star quarterback’s rehabilitation, there are no guarantees that he will be ready for Week 1.
For that reason, during free agency, general manager Brett Veach did not hesitate to trade for Justin Fields at a bargain price, making sure the New York Jets continued paying a large portion of his salary.
During the 2026 NFL owners meeting, Reid showed complete confidence that Fields can take over the QB1 job if necessary. “He’s more than a gadget guy. He’s there to play quarterback if we need him to play quarterback.”
Justin Fields’ role with Chiefs in 2026
Andy Reid assured that Justin Fields could have a special package of plays under new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. In short-yardage situations, to avoid risking Mahomes, the former Steelers QB could be fundamental.
Patrick Mahomes’ injury update
If Patrick Mahomes is not ready, Justin Fields will have to lead a team with Super Bowl aspirations. However, Andy Reid delivered a positive Mahomes injury update at the 2026 NFL owners meeting, so under this scenario, Fields’ role could be merely for special situations.
