Who is Gardner Minshew? This the Kansas City Chiefs’ backup quarterback
In the absence of long-term injury victim Patrick Mahomes, backup QB Minshew will be handed his first start for the Chiefs.
Backup quarterback Gardner Minshew will make his first start for Kansas City this weekend, as the already-eliminated Chiefs visit the Tennessee Titans without their star QB, the two-time MVP Patrick Mahomes.
How long is Mahomes out for?
The injured Mahomes faces around nine months on the sidelines, after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and lateral collateral ligament (LCL) in the Chiefs’ 16-13 defeat to the Chargers last Sunday.
The Week 16 loss confirmed Kansas City’s elimination from postseason contention - the first time the team has missed the playoffs since 2014. Indeed, the Chiefs last failed to reach the Super Bowl in 2021.
When was Minshew’s last NFL start?
Minshew, who joined the Chiefs on a one-year contract in March, five days after being released by the Raiders, last started in the NFL in Week 12 of the 2024 season, in Las Vegas’s 29-19 defeat to the Broncos.
In 10 appearances for the Raiders last term - of which nine were starts - the 29-year-old threw for 2,013 yards, nine touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
In total, Minshew has made 46 NFL starts since being drafted in 2019, as a sixth-round pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars. In his seven years in the league, the Mississippi native has also had stints with the Philadelphia Eagles and the Indianapolis Colts.
Looking ahead to Sunday’s Week 17 matchup with the Titans, Minshew told reporters: “[It’s] a quick turnaround from a very emotional game [against the Chargers].
“Obviously, [there’s] the situation with Pat, and the situation with our team’s playoff picture, but you know what? You are where you’re at, and we have to turn this thing around and go get a win this week.”
Minshew added: “It’s an opportunity to step in and do my job. There’s a lot of guys that have put a ton of work into this and I owe it to them, I owe it to this coaching staff, this team, this fanbase, to go out and do my best to give us the best chance to win.”
Get to know a bit more about the man behind the mustache, @GardnerMinshew5 👨🏻 pic.twitter.com/7Ikhv22FZ2
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) December 18, 2025
Chiefs vs Titans: start times, how to watch
The 6-8 Chiefs visit the 2-12 Titans today, Sunday December 21, 2025, with kickoff at Nissan Stadium scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET/10:00 a.m. PT. The game will air nationally on CBS. Your streaming options include the online platform fubo, which offers new users a free trial.
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