Chad Henne Records Positive Showing in First Start Since 2014
For the first time since Sept. 21, 2014, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Chad Henne stepped on the field as the starting quarterback of an NFL team.
Henne was named the starter on Wednesday after the Chiefs had already clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC and the only playoff bye. The decision was to give quarterback Patrick Mahomes extra rest heading into the playoffs.
After the game, Henne said his first experience as a starting quarterback since former President Barrack Obama's second term didn't disappoint.
“Yeah it was great," Henne said. "I was excited to be out there, I think all of our guys were excited especially moving the ball down there, getting some scores, but yeah a lot of fun to out there with the guys.”
It appeared Henne hadn't lost a step since his first start in 2,297 days as the 35-year-old quarterback led the Chiefs on an impressive opening drive that resulted in a 3-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Byron Pringle.
On the opening scoring drive, Henne completed all six of his passes for 56. The last time Henne started a game, he finished the contest with 33 yards on four completions.
“Yeah, I mean we had a great play on it," Henne said about his first touchdown pass. "It was really just sell the run and had like two post routes on the outside so we were anticipating a lot of the linebackers to be aggressive in the run game and the safety and it just worked opposite the safety and Byron [Pringle] made a great catch and play there so a lot of fun and great to get back into the endzone and to celebrate with the guys.”
That wouldn't be Henne's only score of the day as Kansas City's usual backup would end the game completing 23-of-32 passes for 218 yards and two touchdowns.
In addition to the start, this was the first time Henne's children got to watch him be the main signal-caller for an NFL offense.
Back when Henne was a starter, he said only his wife and extended family would be at games and now it's special his children got to watch him start for the Chiefs on Sunday.
“Yeah, I mean it’s a blessing," Henne said. "Obviously, early on in my career I didn’t have the kids, I just had my wife, Brittany, and my parents and in-laws, just the rest of extended family. But, when you have kids it’s definitely a different feeling out there, and I’m blessed they were out there, got to see dad play and hopefully they got excited for some of the plays out there.”
