Chris Oladokun was never supposed to see the field for the Kansas City Chiefs. But after a disastrous run of injuries at quarterback, the third-stringer was thrust into the spotlight. He went 0-3 in the three-game stretch. Still, his recent message to the team makes his future intentions clear.

“Year 4,” Chris Oladokun wrote in the caption of his recent Instagram post. “This year didn’t go as planned but it is always an honor to play this game we all love. Having an opportunity to lead and go to battle with the guys the last 3 weeks is something I could only dream of as a kid. I appreciate my teammates, coaches, family, friends and fans for all the love and support they’ve shown to the team and myself this season. Can’t wait for us to bounce back in 26’ #chiefskingdom.”

Chris Oladokun openly admitted this year with the Chiefs did not unfold the way he hoped. Still, his message centered on growth, leadership, and gratitude. Then there’s the ending of his message, where he mentioned that he can’t wait for the Chiefs to bounce back next season. Oladokun would not have said that with a forward-looking mindset if he did not see himself as part of the Chiefs’ future.

But let’s not forget how unexpected Oladokun’s rise was this phase. He was never meant to start this season, as he entered the year as the Chiefs’ third-string QB. After Chiefs’ star QB Patrick Mahomes suffered a torn ACL in Week 14 and required season-ending surgery, Gardner Minshew stepped in as the backup. Had Minshew not hurt his knee against the Tennessee Titans in Week 16, Oladokun would have remained on the sideline.

Instead, Chris Oladokun saw his first NFL action against the Titans. He recorded 111 yards and missed only five passes as he stayed poised in the pocket and delivered accurate throws in this game. While Oladokun occasionally tried to do too much with his legs, he ensured that there were no turnovers throughout his three appearances. 

Then, against the Las Vegas Raiders, Chris Oladokun had to split snaps with Shane Buechele, a QB whom the Chiefs recently signed to add depth to the roster, making his lone start come against the Denver Broncos’ tough defense in Week 17. In that game, Oladokun completed 13 of 22 passes for 66 yards, threw his first career touchdown, and was sacked just once. The Chiefs still lost 20-13, but Oladokun kept it close. For a third-string QB, that performance from Oladokun deserves respect.

One moment from that Broncos game even resurfaced in his Instagram post. In a clip that he shared with the post, Chris Oladokun dodged the Broncos’ defense in the fourth quarter and fired a nine-yard completion to wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster. After the play, cameras even caught Patrick Mahomes clapping and smiling from the stands. 

Along with the clip, Chris Oladokun also shared a carousel of photos from his time at Arrowhead, featuring tunnel runs, live-game snaps, and moments with Travis Kelce and teammates. So, the message from Oladokun feels clear: he believes there’s unfinished business in the Arrowhead team. So, he’s not backing away from the competition even when Patrick Mahomes returns to action after recovering from his injury. 

The Chiefs provide a major update on Patrick Mahomes’ rehab this offseason

Patrick Mahomes’ offseason typically includes shooting commercials, spending time with his family, and hosting throwing sessions. But Chiefs head coach Andy Reid just made it clear that the Chiefs will keep Mahomes much closer to Arrowhead as he recovers from the knee injury.

“First of all, he’s [Mahomes] doing great for just being three weeks out or so,” Andy Reid told reporters in his 2025 NFL season-end presser. “He’ll go ahead and most likely stay up here for the majority of the time rehabbing. He and Julie [Frymyer], she’s the person who does all that RPT (rehab physical therapy), and so he has a lot of trust in her, and he’s been just in there grinding.

“I think they’ll just continue till we get started again,” Reid continued. “Not that he [Mahomes] won’t take a break here or there, but right now, he’s in that early process where you’ve got to really hit it hard. And, you know, it’s not necessarily a fun thing to do every day. The important thing is that you show up, and that you keep coming, coming back for more, and he’s been doing that.”

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Reid confirmed that Patrick Mahomes is recovering well three weeks post-surgery. He also revealed that trainer Julie Frymyer, who helped Mahomes recover from a knee injury in 2019, will once again oversee his rehab. The goal is simple: restore strength and range of motion in Mahomes’ knee the right way.

His recovery could affect how the Chiefs start their offseason work. In past offseasons, Mahomes still brought teammates together for casual throwing sessions on his own. However, because he’s rehabbing this time, those early, player-led workouts may not happen, changing the usual rhythm at the beginning of the offseason.

“None of that is mandatory, other than the mandatory minicamp and then the rookie minicamp that takes place after the draft,” Reid told reporters. “But there’s one mandatory minicamp. The rest of it’s voluntary. We will do Phase 1, and the players know that, and they have the dates and so on. They’ve got the calendar and so, but again, that’s a voluntary thing, and that’s where we’re at with it.”

Moreover, the 2026 offseason already feels different for Kansas City. The Chiefs finished 6–11 and secured their draft position (No. 9) early in January. But now, the Chiefs also face a long rehab process for their franchise QB.