who is the chiefs backup quarterback

The Kansas City Chiefs’ backup quarterback behind Patrick Mahomes is veteran Gardner Minshew as of the late-2025 season.

Current backup QB

• Patrick Mahomes remains the Chiefs’ starter at quarterback, but an in-season injury in 2025 pushed attention to his understudy.

• In coverage of that injury, national outlets specifically identify Gardner Minshew as “Patrick Mahomes’ backup” and the quarterback who steps in when Mahomes cannot play.

Why it’s Minshew (for now)

• Reports describe Minshew on a one-year deal in Kansas City, serving as the primary reserve option behind Mahomes for the 2025 campaign.

• Articles discussing the Chiefs’ future QB plans for 2026 still frame the situation around Minshew as the current backup, then speculate about other veterans who might be added if Mahomes is not fully healthy.

So, if you’re asking “who is the Chiefs backup quarterback?” in the present context of the 2025 season, the answer is Gardner Minshew.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.