Andy Reid Confirms Status of Patrick Mahomes for Chiefs' Preseason Game vs. Rams

As the Kansas City Chiefs gear up for their preseason opener against the Los Angeles Rams, many are wondering whether Andy Reid will play his starters. The veteran head coach has lightened up on that workload in years past, but the health of quarterback Patrick Mahomes brings that storyline right back to the forefront in 2026.

By the time Saturday's contest in Kansas City rolls around, Mahomes will be a full eight months removed from suffering a torn ACL and LCL. The superstar signal-caller has participated in everything at training camp, yet that's a far cry from being ready for a game.

With Week 1 of the regular season in mind, Reid is exercising some caution. He says Mahomes won't play this weekend, which was widely expected based on his previous comments.

"The way the rotation will go is Pat won't start or play," Reid said. "So it'll be Justin (Fields) and then (Garrett) Nussmeier, and then Chris (Oladokun) will take it from there. We'll just see how the reps go as we work through that."

This signals a change for Mahomes, who has typically played multiple series each preseason. It remains to be seen whether he'll take the field next weekend in Tampa Bay versus the Buccaneers, although Reid hasn't been too optimistic on that front.

Speaking to the media following a recent practice, Mahomes said that although he's eager to compete, he'd ultimately be game for whatever Reid feels is optimal.

"I'm for whatever coach says," Mahomes said. "Like I said, I'm going to prepare to play. He hasn't told me anything, so I'll prepare to play and prepare to get myself ready. We'll see where we go from there and if not, I'll be as locked in as I am during the game and try to get myself as ready to go [as possible] for the game. It's just a process of trying to make sure you're ready for the season and whatever coach thinks is best, I'll do it."

In relief of No. 15, it'll be Fields getting the nod under center. The newcomer was acquired via trade earlier this year from the New York Jets and went 4-for-9 with 46 passing yards and another 19 yards on the ground last preseason. Oladokun played in all three of the Chiefs' 2025 preseason contests, completing 11 of 23 passes for 120 yards and toting the ball twice for 36 rushing yards.

Fields is the primary backup during the regular season, but there may be some roster math left to do behind him. Despite Oladokun having more experience in the offense and also getting reps in real NFL games, Nussmeier is an intriguing rookie prospect who could force Reid and general manager Brett Veach's hands with a strong preseason. Add in Mahomes' recovery, and there's a world where three quarterbacks are rostered after cutdowns.

Not having Mahomes take away any snaps, at least for the first preseason outing, could help provide some much-needed clarity.

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