This year, many Chiefs fans have assumed that 12-year NFL veteran Blaine Gabbert will be backing up quarterback Patrick Mahomes in 2023.
There is ample evidence for that assumption.
In all but one of head coach Andy Reid’s 10 seasons in Kansas City, he has had a veteran player behind his backup quarterback: Chase Daniel (2013-2015), Nick Foles (2016) and Chad Henne (2018-2022).
(Veteran Matt Moore, of course, was 2019’s backup. But he was filling in for Henne, who had been injured in the preseason).
The only deviation from Reid’s normal routine has been Mahomes — who backed up Alex Smith during his rookie season in 2017.