The Kansas City Chiefs have their starting quarterback in Patrick Mahomes but it’s extremely important for them to ensure he has a solid backup. That’s why this offseason they went to work and signed Gardner Minshew in free agency.

Minshew is an NFL journeyman but it didn’t look like that was going to be how his career went when he was first entering the league. A sixth-round pick by Jacksonville in 2019, Minshew was thrown into the deep end of the pool early as a rookie, as Nick Foles was injured and unable to play. Minshew played well and was a fun quarterback to watch.

By 2020, the Minshew momentum had slowed down tremendously and he was relegated to backup duties. He was traded to Philadelphia in 2021 where he spent two years backing up Jalen Hurts before spending one year in Indianapolis and another year with the Raiders.

Minshew worked his way into the starting job in Indianapolis and Las Vegas but that won’t be the case for him in Kansas City and he’s well-aware of that. While speaking to the media, Minshew said he’s looking forward to working with Mahomes and helping in any way that he can.

“I look forward to just working with [Mahomes], helping in any way I can, whether it’s on the practice field (or) in the meeting room. (When) getting ready for game days, if there’s film preparation I can help with or even, like I said, providing a good laugh here or there. I just couldn’t be more grateful for the role and (I) just want to help in any way I really can.”

Gardner Minshew explains how he plans to help Chiefs in 2025

The Chiefs have had a variety of backups since Mahomes has taken over as the starter. For years it was fan favorite Chad Henne. Matt Moore had to play a couple of games in 2019. Recently, the Chiefs have brought in one-and-done guys behind Mahomes, as Blaine Gabbert was his backup in 2023, then Carson Wentz last year, and now Minshew.

Minshew is a great backup option to have and hopefully, Chiefs fans only see him on the field when the Chiefs are blowing out the opposition.