The Kansas City Chiefs are just playing out the string in 2025 and getting ready for the offseason, as the temporary answer behind injured quarterback Patrick Mahomes is now the biggest question facing the NFL’s most dominant organization of the past 10 years.

Mahomes underwent surgery almost immediately after tearing his ACL and LCL last weekend against the Los Angeles Chargers. Still, a return to full health in time to start Week 1 of next season is much more precarious due to the LCL component than if the QB had suffered a simple, clean tear of his ACL.

As such, the Chiefs will probably have to step into the offseason under the assumption that they will need a viable starter to fill in for Mahomes across multiple games. Backup QB Gardner Minshew is an option, though he is not under contract beyond this year and may not be the best choice if winning is the primary objective, which it is likely to be in Kansas City.

Jeff Howe of The Athletic suggested on Friday, December 19 that the Chiefs cover the potential Mahomes injury gap by adding New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields to the fold, assuming his current team cuts him come the spring, which conventional wisdom and the Jets’ benching of Fields earlier this season suggest they will.

“Fields should seek out the Kansas City Chiefs, [Indianapolis] Colts or [Minnesota] Vikings,” Howe wrote. “Whether or not Patrick Mahomes (torn ACL) will be ready for Week 1, Fields could do a lot worse than Andy Reid’s offense for a spell.”

Chiefs, Justin Fields Can Offer Each Other Viable 1-Year Solution

GettyQuarterback Justin Fields of the New York Jets.

Kansas City would be a good opportunity for Fields to continue his development as he likely transitions into a QB2 role longterm, but remains young enough to potentially get another crack at a starting gig in the relatively near future if he can demonstrate some improvement as a passer from the pocket.

“The 2021 first-round pick has also lost his job with the Chicago Bears and [Pittsburgh] Steelers, so Fields will likely be demoted from bridge quarterback to backup,” Howe continued. “But if he focuses on the right system and coaching staff for his development, Fields could still have a chance somewhere down the line.”

Fields will play next season at 27 years old. He has amassed 9,039 yards, 52 TDs and 32 INTs on 61.4 percent passing over the course of his five-year NFL career, which includes 59 appearances and 53 starts (16-37). Fields has also rushed for 2,892 yards and 23 scores on an impressive 5.9 yards per carry from the quarterback position.

Chiefs Need Competent, Inexpensive QB to Stand in for Patrick Mahomes, Play Behind Him Next Season

GettyNew York Jets quarterback Justin Fields.

The Chiefs must consider first that Mahomes is already pushing hard to get back as quickly as possible, so while they need a viable starter, they don’t need to pay big money for one if they can avoid it.

Fields will have earned nearly $49 million in his professional career by the time the Jets pay off his $30 million in guaranteed salary on the two-year deal he inked ahead of this season.

That should mean Kansas City can acquire Fields for a modest one-year salary, offering him a chance to develop in a top-notch system as the most valuable currency in a short-term contract offer. Such a paradigm will also favor the Chiefs and their current cap situation, which is characterized by a debt of nearly $46 million in 2026 as of Friday.