Patrick Mahomes’ new Chiefs backup understands (welcomes, even) his primary role in KC
When a starting NFL quarterback is healthy, few on a team play less than the backup.
The reserve quarterback is the ultimate break-glass-in-case-of-emergency guy. For the Chiefs last season, Carson Wentz got eight snaps against the Cleveland Browns when Patrick Mahomes nursed a sore ankle. He also played with other backups in Week 18.
The previous season, Blaine Gabbert appeared in two games, one in a mop-up role and the other with the Week 18 reserves.
So, what sort of role does the Chiefs’ next No. 2 quarterback expect to play during the 2025 season?
“Man, that’s a great question,” said Gardner Minshew, who joined the Chiefs for that job as a free agent this offseason.
To Minshew, his primary duty in Kansas City will involve support.
“Being a starting quarterback in the NFL is a hard deal, with all the expectations, especially for a guy like (Mahomes),” Minshew said. ”Sometimes it’s having a safe place in the quarterback room where you can in and let off some steam or just have a good laugh.
“That little stuff is very important getting through weeks ... and getting through years,”
Minshew has played both roles — starter and backup — in his first six NFL seasons with four teams. After leading the nation in passing at Washington State for the late coach Mike Leach in 2018, Minshew — selected in the sixth round by the Jacksonsville Jaguars — was thrust into action almost immediately.
Against the Chiefs in the 2019 opener, Jaguars starter (and another former backup QB in KC) Nick Foles went down with a first-quarter shoulder injury. So Minshew wound up starting 12 games that year.
He opened 2020 as the starter in Jacksonville, but injuries cost him the second half of the season.
Minshew then served as Jalen Hurts’ primary backup with the Philadelphia Eagles for two years before opening the 2023 season with the Indianapolis Colts as Anthony Richardson’s backup. Minshew took over for an injured Richardson in Week 6 and logged the best season of his pro career: He was 7-6 as a starter and was selected for the Pro Bowl.
Last season, Minshew signed a two-year deal with Las Vegas and opened as the Raiders’ starter. In Week 11, however, he sustained a season-ending broken collarbone ... and the Raiders released him after the season was over.
Add it up, and Minshew has appeared in 59 NFL games with 46 starts and 17 victories. Unless Mahomes is forced out of action, though, he will be on the sidelines this season. That’s the likeliest scenario for Minshew, as Mahomes has missed just two starts in seven seasons (while recovering from an injury).
Just the same, Minshew is stoked about the prospect of joining an organization that has played in five of the past six Super Bowls. He said he wants to learn from head coach Andy Reid.
“That was another big reason I chose to come to Kansas City,” Minshew said. “I’ve always been a huge fan of Coach Reid’s offenses. I’ve always felt that that was something I could do well in.”
And in Mahomes, Minshew finds a kindred spirit. Leach not only coached Minshew in college, he coached the coach who coached Mahomes at Texas Tech — Kliff Kingsbury.
“Pat came up playing in the Air Raid (offense), which is something I did in college as well,” Minshew said. “I feel that kind of play-style, of just understanding and feeling space, understanding leverage and numbers, really serves you well in this system.”
Perhaps there’s another team and opportunity as a starter ahead for Minshew after the 2025 season. But for now, his role will be bolstering the Chiefs’ offense ...
With the goal of not having to take a snap in an actual regular-season game.
“If there’s any way I can help this team, whether it’s from the scout team, helping Pat in meetings, whether it’s just bringing the good energy to practice,” Minshew said, “I look forward to just doing whatever I can to contribute and help this team win.”
This story was originally published March 26, 2025 at 2:09 PM.