The Kansas City Chiefs’ offseason shopping list has been robust. After faltering in the Super Bowl, dynasty talk took a backseat as Kansas City focused on staying atop the league over the offseason. The Chiefs have made plenty of moves that shore up the team’s floor rather than shoot its ceiling to the moon—a wiser choice possible with quarterback Patrick Mahomes under center.

Despite setting a franchise record for wins, Mahomes had one of the worst individual seasons of his career. 2024 marked the first season in which he did not earn a Pro Bowl selection or throw for at least 4,000 yards, and he set career lows in yards per game (245.5) and passing yards per attempt (6.8). The Texas Tech slinger seems far removed from his do-it-all days in 2018 and 2022, yet there’s hardly any reason to believe Kansas City would choose another starting option over their seven-year starter.

There isn’t a Kansas City Chiefs quarterback battle, but there may be a quarterback controversy

The team unquestionably remains better with Mahomes, but that doesn’t mean he should be the only quarterback on the roster. The Chiefs have regularly relied on their backup option in recent years, whether in final-week rest games or high-leverage postseason moments. A common thread among those backups—from Mahomes’ first year as a starter in 2018 to 2024—was that they were seasoned veterans with little chance to start but who brought leadership and consistency. Players like Chad Henne, Matt Moore, Blaine Gabbert, and Carson Wentz provided veteran experience that Andy Reid once enjoyed with Alex Smith.

But things are different in 2025.

The Chiefs appear to be shifting away from relying solely on well-traveled veterans. They brought back Bailey Zappe after the former New England Patriots starter appeared on the practice squad in 2024, and they signed Gardner Minshew to a one-year deal after his injury-shortened 2024 with the Las Vegas Raiders. Neither option will cause a quarterback controversy in training camp, but the shift in approach could be controversial.

The 2025 backup duo of Minshew and Zappe represents a younger, more dynamic mix compared to Kansas City’s historical norm. Minshew, while experienced, is closer in age to Mahomes and potentially has a decade left in his career—unlike the nearing-retirement elder statesmen of the past. Zappe is even younger, possibly representing a project by Chiefs standards (previous backups were rarely under 30 or developed by Kansas City). This starkly contrasts with the string of 30-something veterans (Henne, Moore, Gabbert, Wentz) that defined 2018–2024.

The Chiefs appear to be blending starting experience with youth. One reason may be Mahomes’ established status and durability; now a veteran himself heading into his ninth NFL season, the team might feel more flexibility to groom a younger backup or take a flyer on upside. Minshew brings a combination of starting experience and youth that Kansas City hasn’t seen in a backup in recent years, while Zappe adds a developmental arm for the future.

Both players have flaws. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be available on the free-agent market for near-league-minimum amounts. Zappe couldn’t stick with the quarterback-needy Patriots and even made one start for the Cleveland Browns in Week 18. Most quarterbacks are proven commodities by their fourth season, but there should be room for developmental hope after rough starts and teams not investing in Zappe. He was 4-4 as a starter in New England, after all, with little supporting cast.

Meanwhile, Minshew is now on his fifth team in six seasons, with his future as a role player seeming more likely. A broken collarbone ended his Raiders run in 2024, where he made nine starts with 2,013 passing yards and nine touchdowns to ten interceptions. The former sixth-round pick has drawn a near cult following for his “Minshew Magic” and his journey from Mississippi to Washington State. That gives him good optics and some fan support, but his 17-29 record as a starter shows he shouldn’t be any team’s primary option.

“Being a starting quarterback in the NFL is a hard deal, with all the expectations, especially for a guy like [Mahomes],” Minshew said, via the Kansas City Star.” Sometimes, it’s having a safe place in the quarterback room where you can let off some steam or just have a good laugh. That little stuff is very important getting through weeks … and getting through years.”

The Chiefs still value starting experience over raw talent, but they are now blending it with youth. This could suggest that Kansas City is looking to develop talent behind Mahomes long term, or that these younger quarterbacks are simply the best available options. The consistent theme remains ensuring the backup role is filled by a quarterback the team trusts—whether that trust comes from years of experience or demonstrated competence at a younger age. The 2025 additions of Minshew and Zappe reflect a fresh approach to achieving that goal, given the options available.

Overall, the trend has shifted from exclusively older journeymen to a mix of a younger veteran and a developing prospect—a first in Mahomes’ tenure and a notable change in the Chiefs’ approach to the backup quarterback role.