How do Gardner Minshew, KC Chiefs manage final games of playoff-less season?
Gardner Minshew entered the NFL in the same way he’s becoming the Chiefs’ starting quarterback, with an injury to the starter.
As a rookie with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019, Minshew opened as Nick Foles’ understudy. Late in the first quarter in Week 1 against the Chiefs, Foles tossed a 35-yard touchdown pass. But on the play he was drilled by Chris Jones and suffered a broken collarbone.
Enter Minshew.
Enter Minshew once again. He has assumed the starting role for the Chiefs after the season-ending knee injury to Patrick Mahomes suffered in last week’s loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Things feel different this time for the seven-year NFL veteran compared to his debut.
“Everything was so simple then,” Minshew said. “It was a ‘see ball, hit ball’ kind of deal. So it’s a bit more nuanced now.”
Plus it comes with seven years of NFL experience. Minshew spent two years with the Jaguars, two with the Philadelphia Eagles, was the primary starter for the Indianapolis Colts in 2023 and became the Las Vegas Raiders’ starter in the second week.
The Chiefs signed Minshew, who has started 46 games, to fill the spot occupied by Carson Wentz last year and Blaine Gabbert the previous season.
No Chiefs backup has been pressed into Mahomes replacement duty since Matt Moore in 2019, and the timing here presents short- and long-term implications.
Minshew is looking to lead the Chiefs to victories in their final three games, starting Sunday at the Tennessee Titans. After that is the Christmas game against the Denver Broncos and the Week 18 road game against the Raiders.
Additionally, the Chiefs begin the process of determining if Minshew is the quarterback to lead them through the offseason, into training camp next year and perhaps beyond. Mahomes’ recovery is estimated to take nine months.
“It’s a crazy business, it moves on,” coach Andy Reid said. “Minshew steps up, and he has an opportunity to play. Thank goodness he’s here. He’s got experience, and the guys trust him. The coaches trust him.”
Minshew said he’s focused on this week only.
“It’s an opportunity to step in and do my job,” he said. “There are a lot of guys that have put a ton of work into this, and I owe it to them, I owe it to this coaching staff, this team, this fan base to go out and do my best to give us the best chance to win.”
Not on the line for the Chiefs over these final few weeks is a playoff opportunity. That also was lost Sunday. The Chiefs stand 6-8 and for the first time since 2012 — the year before Reid arrived — are playing out the string before Christmas.
Mahomes was injured on the first play after the two-minute warning, and Minshew got his first non-mop up snaps this season. In a difficult situation, he completed his first three passes for 22 yards and got the Chiefs into position to kick a game-tying field goal.
But a second-and-15 pass from the Chargers’ 39 intended for Travis Kelce was picked off by Derwin James, ending the threat.
Now, he’ll get a week of working with the starters before taking a snap. And perhaps he can summon the effort from his first appearance, against the Chiefs. Minshew completed 22 of 25 passes for 88%, the third best by a quarterback in his debut in NFL history.
“I’ve been fortunate to be around a while, I’ve seen a lot, learned a lot,” Minshew said. “Hopefully I put all of that to use moving forward.”