Gardner Minshew isn’t expected to touch the field much in 2025, but his presence in Kansas City is already being felt, especially by Patrick Mahomes. Head coach Andy Reid made it clear last week that the veteran quarterback isn’t just there to sit quietly on the bench.
The Kansas City Chiefs may have upgraded their backup plan, and Reid seems confident about what Minshew brings to the QB room.
Gardner Minshew Adds Stability and Experience to Kansas City Chiefs’ QB Room
Last season, Kansas City turned to Carson Wentz to back up Mahomes. It worked but clearly not well enough to stop them from making a change.
This offseason, the Chiefs landed Minshew, who has 46 career starts under his belt. The 29-year-old last played for the Las Vegas Raiders, completing 66.3% of his passes in 2024 for 2,013 yards, nine touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.
That experience matters to Reid, who compared the relationship between Mahomes and Minshew to a productive peer-to-peer setup. The Chiefs’ head coach believes having a backup who’s been through the fire gives Mahomes another set of trusted eyes on gameday.
“He’s been there, he’s started,” Reid said after OTAs. “He’s got the confidence of the guys around him. Patrick knows he’s been in there and done it, so they can bounce things off of each other.”
“It’s always good to have peers that have played, and you can talk to them about it a little bit,” said Reid.
Minshew’s Veteran Presence Could Be Key for Chiefs on Gameday
Reid isn’t known for chasing high-upside unknowns at backup quarterback. He prefers familiarity, reliability and someone who can deliver in a pinch without shaking up the entire system.
“On gameday he’ll be great with Patrick,” Reid added. “Just with what he’s seeing from the sideline and what Pat’s seeing when he’s in there.”
Minshew’s calm, no-nonsense presence, paired with his starting experience, makes him a perfect fit for that mold. He’s the soft-serve vanilla in Reid’s offense: simple, dependable and never too much. The Chiefs don’t need sprinkles. They need structure.
And Minshew is happy to be part of it.
“I love it, man,” he said after practice. “[I’m] so happy to be a part of this, super grateful for Coach Reid bringing me in and giving me an opportunity.”
With Kansas City eyeing another deep postseason run, having someone like Minshew holding the clipboard and occasionally weighing in, might be exactly what Mahomes needs behind him.