The Kansas City Chiefs received some welcome piece of news on Monday regarding backup quarterback Gardner Minshew, who was feared to have suffered a severe knee injury during Sunday’s loss to the Tennessee Titans.
Initial concerns suggested a torn ACL, particularly alarming after star quarterback Patrick Mahomes was lost last week with a torn ACL and LCL. However, further testing revealed that Minshew did not tear his ACL, easing some of the team’s concerns.
Despite avoiding the worst-case scenario, he is still expected to miss time as he recovers from the knee injury. This development gives the Chiefs a measure of relief amid an already challenging stretch of the season.
Minshew‘s injury occurred early in the December 21 matchup in Nashville. Making his first start of the season in place of Mahomes, Minshew hurt his left knee during a scramble on just the third play and quickly left the field. He had completed only 3 of 8 passes for 15 yards before exiting.
In his place, third-string quarterback Chris Oladokun, a 2022 seventh-round pick from South Dakota State, stepped in and finished the game, completing 11 of 16 passes for 111 yards. This marked Oladokun‘s second NFL appearance, the first coming in Week 18 of last season in a blowout loss to the Denver Broncos.
The Chiefs were already struggling in the 26-9 loss to the Titans, dropping their record to 6-9 and extending a difficult run for the franchise. With Mahomes sidelined for the remainder of the season, Kansas City’s depth at quarterback has been severely tested.
Chiefs adjust roster amid quarterback injuries
In response to the quarterback challenges, the Chiefs signed Shane Buechele off the Buffalo Bills’ practice squad on Monday.
Buechele, who previously spent time with Kansas City but has yet to make a regular-season appearance, adds depth to a thin quarterback room. This move is critical as the Chiefs prepare for their next game on Christmas Day against the Denver Broncos, leaving the team with a very short week to prepare.
With both Mahomes and Minshew unavailable, Kansas City is relying on Oladokun and Buechele to navigate the final two games of the season. While Minshew‘s avoidance of a torn ACL is a positive sign, the team still faces uncertainty at the position.
The Chiefs’ ability to remain competitive will depend heavily on how quickly Minshew recovers and how effectively Oladokun and Buechele step up in the interim.
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