Week 15 didn’t just take away Kansas City’s hopes for the playoffs. It also took away the elite quarterback, Patrick Mahomes. After being tackled late in the game, Mahomes tore his ACL, which will require surgery. Although the Chiefs are out of playoff contention, three games remain. That reality now forces Kansas City to confront its most pressing question: Who will take over at quarterback? Head coach Andy Reid addressed that decision in the aftermath of the loss.

Reid isn’t considering it a crisis. Amid the ongoing speculation that Kansas City may need outside enforcement, the head coach confirmed that the Chiefs are not exploring the market just yet. 

“I’ve got a ton of confidence in Gardner (Minshew),” Reid said, via AtoZ Sports Editor Charles Goldman on X. “Chris Oladokun, behind him, will work up there. Chris has been with us for a while, too. Those are two guys our guys trust and will play hard for.”

The Chiefs never really needed a backup, as Mahomes has missed just two games due to injury in his eight-year-long NFL career. However, this time, his injury isn’t something the Chiefs can recover from easily. It’s his first ACL tear, which will require surgery and a long recovery period. However, the head coach revealed that the 30-year-old is planning to take a second opinion in Dallas. It isn’t even certain whether he’ll recover by the 2026 NFL regular season. But that’s in the distant future; the pressing issue now is who steps into his shoes.

The Chiefs are putting their faith in Gardner Minshew, who also filled in for Mahomes in Week 15 after he was taken off the field. The veteran quarterback, who joined the Chiefs Kingdom earlier in March, finished the game with 3-of-5 for 22 yards and an interception. The offense will be centered around him now, which he feels comfortable executing. 

Then, as HC Reid highlighted, the Chiefs also have Chris Oladokun in the practice squad. He was signed in 2022 and now has an opportunity to move up the active roster. So, the Chiefs are strategizing internally, which seems sensible since they have already lost the season. Until an update on the gravity of Mahomes’ injury is revealed, the Chiefs have to finish the season, regardless of where. 

Patrick Mahomes plans to come back stronger

The latest update on the two-time NFL MVP’s injury is that he underwent successful surgery Monday night in Dallas to repair the tear in his left ACL, the team announced. However, more than his injury, Mahomes is more upset about the brutal playoff elimination his team had to endure. It’s an unprecedented defeat, but that doesn’t mean he has lost hope. After not being able to address the media post-game, Mahomes released his statement on X. 

“Don’t know why this had to happen. And not going to lie it’s hurts,” he wrote. “But all we can do now is Trust in God and attack every single day over and over again… I Will be back stronger than ever.”

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Mahomes’ time away from the field will now be defined by rehab and reflection, with plenty of film to revisit from a season that unraveled even before his injury. Long-standing issues ultimately caught up with Kansas City. Adding to the uncertainty is the looming question at tight end, where the future becomes far less certain if Travis Kelce ultimately chooses to walk away.