Analyst Claims Chiefs Shouldn’t Re-Sign Trusted Veteran This Offseason

Getty Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Chad Henne.

Tyrann Mathieu, Orlando Brown, and Charvarius Ward are some of the notable Kansas City Chiefs players that will become free agents this offseason. But there is another offensive player, in particular, that may also leave Kansas City, and his impact off the field for the Chiefs far outweighs what he does on the field.

Joining Kansas City in 2018 — which was when Patrick Mahomes became the starting quarterback for the Chiefs — veteran Chad Henne has become one of the most reliable backups quarterbacks in the NFL. That was most evident during Kansas City’s 2020 postseason run.

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During that playoff run, Henne replaced Mahomes halfway through the third quarter of their Divisional game against the Cleveland Browns after Mahomes entered concussion protocol.

Henne’s most notable play in the second half was on 4th down with 1:17 left in the game. The Chiefs were winning by five points and the Browns had no timeouts left. Henne completed a simple, yet meaningful pass to wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who picked up the first down and closed out the game for Kansas City.

It’s those types of moments that make Henne meaningful to the Chiefs. While those opportunities come rarely for the veteran, when his number is called he is a reliable option under center. Henne’s career stats as a member of the Chiefs during the regular season and playoffs further prove that narrative. He’s completed 47-of-65 pass attempts for 425 yards and two touchdowns in eight regular-season games and the one playoff game, per Pro Football Reference.

But Henne’s value to the Chiefs is only partly based on his on-field production.

Being in the NFL since 2008 with 54 career starts under his belt, having an experienced veteran like Henne in the same quarterback room as Mahomes is invaluable for Kansas City’s starting quarterback, especially early in his career.

Despite all of this, one Chiefs analyst thinks Kansas City shouldn’t re-sign Henne this offseason.


Chiefs Predicted to Not Re-Sign Henne

Nick Jacobs of KSHB 41 News out of Kansas City gave a rundown of the Chiefs’ pending free agents, and which players the team should re-sign, let test free agency, or not re-sign. Among the names he mentioned was Henne, 36, who Jacobs believes the Chiefs shouldn’t re-sign this offseason.

“Henne has been a big asset in the development of Patrick Mahomes, and he will always have the clutch drive in the Chiefs’ Divisional game during the 2020 postseason against the Cleveland Browns, but the team could use a new backup quarterback capable of helping the Chiefs win a couple games and also pushing Mahomes,” Jacobs wrote on February 9. “Henne turns 37 in July, so retirement likely isn’t too far away.”


Could Henne Become Chiefs’ QB Coach?

With Mike Kafka becoming the New York Giants’ offensive coordinator, the Chiefs currently have a quarterbacks coach vacancy. That’s why one Twitter user presented the idea of Henne potentially filling the void on Kansas City’s coaching staff.

“Lots of Chiefs fans are advocating for Alex Smith to return to the team as QB coach. Probably impractical, but how about Chad Henne retiring and taking that job? It achieves 2 things. Frees up cap space and gives the team a coach who knows the system and Patrick,” the user wrote.

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