Chiefs’ QB Crisis Deepens After Gardner Minshew Injury In Tennessee

The Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback situation went from bad to worse on Sunday, Dec. 21, when Gardner Minshew went down with a left knee injury just three plays into a 26–9 loss to the Tennessee Titans. Patrick Mahomes is already out after tearing major ligaments in the same knee a week earlier. The Chiefs were suddenly staring at the possibility of losing two quarterbacks in back-to-back games.

Minshew’s injury looked ominous right away. On a scramble early in the first quarter, he fell awkwardly on what appeared to be a noncontact play. He later immediately reached for his knee and limped off. He attempted to keep going, but Kansas City’s offense visibly stalled as he struggled to set his feet. He finished 3 of 8 for 15 yards before the team turned to third-stringer Chris Oladokun.

Initial concern was a torn ACL, but Monday brought a more straightforward and slightly less catastrophic answer: Minshew avoided an ACL tear. Instead, sources said imaging revealed a non-displaced tibial plateau fracture, which will still end his season. This led the Chiefs to place him on the injured reserve and sign Shane Buechele for depth.

Oladokun stabilized the offense enough to produce all nine of Kansas City’s points. He threw for 111 yards while he also absorbed four sacks. He’s now expected to start the final two games, beginning with a quick turnaround to host Denver on Thursday night.