Chiefs to rest Mahomes, others; Gabbert to start

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — With the Kansas City Chiefs locked into the AFC’s No. 3 playoff seed, Patrick Mahomes will get the final game of the regular season off.

Coach Andy Reid said Mahomes won’t play in Sunday’s game against the Chargers in Los Angeles. Reid suggested other regulars would get the week off, but he wasn’t specific.

“I just want to make sure that we’re ready when [playoff] time comes,” Reid said.

Blaine Gabbert will replace Mahomes and make his first start of the season for the Chiefs on Sunday. Gabbert, a 12-year NFL veteran, hasn’t started a game since 2018 with the Tennessee Titans.

Gabbert hasn’t played since replacing Mahomes in the second half of a win over the Chicago Bears in Week 3. The Chiefs needed their backup quarterback to play in two playoff games in recent seasons when Mahomes left with an injury.

“It’s a great dry run,” Gabbert said. “Ultimately the reason we play football is to play in the games and it’s a great opportunity … to get more reps under your belt. So when your number’s called, if it is called in the playoffs, we’re ready to go.”

The Chiefs have some players hoping to reach statistical milestones, most notably Travis Kelce. He is 16 receiving yards away from his eighth straight 1,000-yard season. Kelce is already the record-holder for a tight end with seven consecutive 1,000-yard seasons.

Reid wouldn’t say whether Kelce would play.

Mahomes needs 83 yards to pass Len Dawson as the Chiefs’ all-time leading passer, but that record will have to wait until next season.