The Kansas City Chiefs encountered their worst nightmare during the 2025 season. Not only did Kansas City go 6-11 on the season, but superstar QB Patrick Mahomes went down with a season-ending ACL tear. The Chiefs added a new quarterback on Monday who can offer some depth behind Mahomes in 2026.
The Chiefs are signing former Saints quarterback Jake Haener to a contract, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
Haener, a former fourth-round pick by the Saints, was on the team’s practice squad to end the 2025 season. His contract expired and he chose to head to Kansas City.
Now the Chiefs have one more quarterback who can fill in for Mahomes during the 2026 season. Haener and veteran Chris Oladokun are the only quarterbacks currently on the roster behind Mahomes. Gardner Minshew, last season’s backup quarterback, is set to hit free agency this spring.
Haener appeared in game games, but only managed one start during his three-year career in New Orleans. He went 18-of-39 for 226 passing yards with one touchdown and one interception in those outings.
It is good to see that Kansas City is adding other quarterbacks to the roster this offseason.
Mahomes wants to return for Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season. His rehab has apparently been going well and he would like to participate in OTAs and training camp later this summer.
That all sounds good, but there is no guarantee that Mahomes will be cleared to play by then. Even if he is back on the field, he may not be back to his old self for quite some time.
The upcoming offseason will be incredibly important for the Chiefs as a whole. Kansas City is currently $54.53 million over the salary cap, leaving them plenty of work to do just to be cap compliant.
It will be interesting to see if Kansas City adds more quarterback depth during the offseason. They would also be smart to upgrade their offensive line to give Mahomes some more protection.
Either way, Chiefs fans will have plenty of storylines to follow this spring.
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