What does this mean for the Chiefs in 2026?
In a perfect world … not too much.
Fields — the 11th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft — fills a need for the Chiefs in that their backup quarterback stands to be more important this season. Starter Patrick Mahomes had surgery in mid-December to repair his ACL and LCL, and he has a history of returning from injuries quicker than anticipated.
It shouldn’t be a surprise, then, that Mahomes said in January his rehab had been “going great” and that he was going to “try to prepare myself to be ready to play in that Week 1 and have no restrictions.”
Mahomes didn’t just set those goals, however. He said he also hoped to do “some stuff” during May and June’s organized team activities, then “hopefully be able to do a lot” during training camp in July and August.
All of that is a best-case scenario. And it hinges on Mahomes not hitting any setbacks in his recovery — something that could happen no matter his desire to get back on the field.
Ideally, however, Mahomes will ease himself back into first-string reps during training camp, then be ready for the season opener in September.
Even with that timeline, the Chiefs would need Fields to fulfill a vital role for a couple of months.
K.C. will be looking to revamp its offense — and particularly its running game — after last season’s 6-11 campaign. And Mahomes surely won’t be a full-go in May and June, leaving Fields as the team’s primary signal caller in charge of getting the team organized offensively.
If Mahomes is slow to recover, Fields’ NFL starting experience will be useful for a Chiefs team that wants to be back among Super Bowl contenders this season. Fields has started 53 games in five pro seasons, which includes nine with the Jets in 2025.