Andy Reid finds himself in unfamiliar territory. Not only are the Kansas City Chiefs eliminated from playoff contention with three weeks to go, but they’re also facing the final stretch of the 2025 NFL season without their franchise quarterback. With Patrick Mahomes sidelined until next year, Gardner Minshew is expected to finish the campaign as the team’s starting QB.
While Reid made it clear he believes in Minshew to be the Chiefs’ QB1 during Mahomes’ absence, the head coach also suggested that the upcoming games could be very telling for the future of many players in Kansas City.
“As we go here, we’re finding a lot out about our team. Some of the young guys are having opportunities to play. We’re going to finish this season strong and with effort. Then you get into the offseason, but I’m always optimistic about going forward,” Reid said, before warning that Chiefs general manager Brett Veach can always find a way to improve the roster.
“Brett Veach does a heck of a job with bringing players in, as you can see now by the guys that are in there playing. Then it’s our responsibility to clean things up on the coaching side of it and the players to take responsibility on their end and finish these three games, and then whoever is here after to retool it.”
Gardner Minshew warms up before a game.
It’s Minshew’s moment in Kansas City with Mahomes sidelined
Minshew is among 21 Chiefs players set to hit unrestricted free agency in 2026. The seasoned quarterback joined Reid and company in the offseason, accepting to serve as Mahomes’ backup on a one-year deal.
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That contract has kind of turned into a prove-it deal now. At 29, Minshew has a golden opportunity to prove Reid his worth. Mahomes will be out for months, and even if he recovers on time for the season opener in 2026, the Chiefs might need a healthy quarterback with significant experience during preseason and training camp.
Minshew has bounced around the league since being drafted 178th overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019. Following a two-year stint with the Philadelphia Eagles (2021-2022), Minshew had to settle with one-year stops on the Indianapolis Colts (2023) and Las Vegas Raiders (2023) before landing in Kansas City.
Minshew faces opportunity for redemption with Chiefs
Mahomes’ injury puts Minshew in a position to fight for an extension, but it could all come down to what he shows in the next few weeks. So far, his most recent appearance in a Chiefs uniform left a lot to be desired. But to be fair, those snaps came in extremely challenging circumstances.
Minshew was thrown into the fire when Mahomes got injured late in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15, with Kansas City playing for its life at Arrowhead. With the weight of the world on his shoulders, Minshew completed three of five passes for 22 yards, but the pressure proved too much: his intercepted pass sealed the Chargers’ 16-13 win, which ended the Chiefs’ playoff aspirations.
Now, with no more pressure to make the postseason, Minshew and other Chiefs players on expiring contracts could prove why they deserve to come back next year. The first test will come as early as Sunday, Dec. 21, when Kansas City visits the 2-12 Tennessee Titans in Week 16. A poor performance against a team with such a poor record could be all she wrote for Minshew looking into 2026.
