Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes remains on track for Week 1 after recovering from a torn ACL and LCL in his knee that ended his 2025 season. Mahomes didn’t play in the preseason opener, and head coach Andy Reid announced that Mahomes won’t play in the second tilt either.
Backup quarterback Justin Fields went 4-for-4 for 41 yards and rushed twice for nine yards in brief action in the preseason opener against the Los Angeles Rams. Fields will extend into the second quarter against the Bucs. Rookie Garrett Nussmeier saw extended work in the opener, going 13-for-19 for 98 yards. He and holdover Chris Oladokun will split the rest of the snaps.
Nussmeier delivered a mixed bag. He threw one high that rookie wide receiver Cyrus Allen scaled up to grab, and during the regular season, could have been a dangerous one. Nussmeier showed good rollout ability, though, connecting a couple of throws on the run. He’ll battle Oladokun for the third quarterback spot. Nussmeier might have the edge because he was a first-round talent entering his final collegiate season before a cyst on his back caused persistent oblique pain and dogged his last year at LSU.
Oladokun had a rough preseason debut, going 5-for-11 for 63 yards. One of his passes was nearly intercepted. He was able to rush three times for 27 yards. This will be one of the more interesting battles to watch as the preseason unfolds.
