What was already a wildly disappointing season for the Kansas City Chiefs turned disastrous in Week 15 when quarterback Patrick Mahomes tore his LCL and ACL at the end of a loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Gardner Minshew will presumably start Kansas City's remaining four games this season, but what about next year?
The recovery time for Mahomes' injury is roughly nine months, which would have him ready to start the 2026 season. That said, if there are any setbacks or if Kansas City opts to be conservative with Mahomes' return, he could end up missing some time. Mahomes is only 30, so he's clearly still the franchise quarterback. But if he's forced to miss time in 2026, the Chiefs will need a solid short-term option as insurance.
These are some of the ideal targets to fill that void.
Gardner Minshew
We start with the person who figures to take most (if not all) of the remaining snaps for the Chiefs in the rest of the 2025 season. Kansas City would be wise to use the rest of this season as an audition for Minshew, as, if things go well, the experience he'll gain in the Chiefs' offense over the next four games makes Minshew easily the most logical choice.
Experience as a starter is a must for any short-term option. Minshew has that. He's been in the NFL since 2019 and has started at least two games in each season. His time as a starter has been something of a mixed bag. That said, Minshew has proven that teams can win with him under center. In 2023, he went 7-6 in 13 starts with the Indianapolis Colts.
The experience that Minshew will pick up over these next four games gives him an inside track to be Kansas City's insurance policy at quarterback. That said, two things must be noted. One, he could struggle. If that happens, he's obviously a far less viable option. Two, he's a free agent. So, if things go well, he could be looking for a bigger contract than Kansas City would like to give.
That said, if things go well for the rest of this season and bringing him back is something the Chiefs can do, Minshew should definitely be seen as Kansas City's top option.
Joe Flacco
In four starts for the Cleveland Browns in 2025, Flacco looked to be done. He completed only 58.1% of his passes, threw only two touchdowns and had six interceptions. Then he went to the Cincinnati Bengals and looked like a completely different quarterback. In six games with the Bengals, Flacco completed 61.6% of his passes for 1,636 yards with 13 touchdowns and only four interceptions.
There's a risk with Flacco. He'll be 41 in January and even in his prime was never known for his mobility. That said, he's a veteran who's shown that he can capably fill in as a short-term option while the team's regular starter is sidelined.
Jimmy Garoppolo
If Mahomes is forced to miss significant time next year, the main goal of whoever replaces him will be to simply keep the team afloat. Garoppolo has proven to be quite adept at that throughout his career.
His most recent run as a full-time starter came in 2023, when he started six games for the Las Vegas Raiders. And while Garoppolo's overall numbers were not great, the Raiders were 3-3 in those games.
Nobody is going to mistake Garoppolo for a Hall of Famer. That said, one thing he's done remarkably well throughout his career is win games. Having a short-term option who can win would be a nice luxury for the Chiefs to have.
Mac Jones
Jones is different from our other options in one key area: he's not a pending free agent. To get Jones, the Chiefs would have to make a trade with the San Francisco 49ers. That could prove difficult, as other teams could see Jones as a possible long-term option and would therefore likely be willing to offer more.
That said, what Jones did this season for the 49ers while Brock Purdy was sidelined is exactly what the Chiefs would be looking for if Mahomes has to miss significant time. In 10 games this season, Purdy completed 69.6% of his passes for 2,151 yards, with 13 touchdowns and six interceptions. More importantly, the 49ers were 5-3 in his eight starts. He was also doing that with top targets like Ricky Pearsall and George Kittle and, of course, Brandon Aiyuk, out of action.
Getting Jones would be a challenge for Kansas City. Still, if Mahomes' rehabilitation is going slower than expected, it's a challenge that the Chiefs should strongly consider taking.