The Kansas City Chiefs made it official on Wednesday, announcing that backup QB Chad Henne would be the starter against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 17.
While many suspected this was a strong possibility, it was officially announced at the start of the practice week. Henne first received word that he could get the start after the conclusion of the Week 16 game against the Atlanta Falcons. He has been preparing as such ever since.
“Well, kind of through the grapevine, kind of after the game,” Henne said of how he learned he would be starting. “Mike Kafka said, ‘Hey just be ready’ and then he gave me the phone call early yesterday and kind of just got the game plan going and so excited about the opportunity.”
This upcoming game will mark Henne’s first start since joining Kansas City back in 2018. It’ll actually be his first start since an abysmal 2014 campaign with the Jacksonville Jaguars. That year, the Jaguars had drafted Blake Bortles and Henne even admitted that he was on a “short leash” that season.
“Yeah, absolutely. I mean, it’s been a while,” Henne said. “It’s crazy to think my last game was 2014. I mean I got all my games in when I was young and then I had like a five or six-year span where I didn’t get any playing time or just like some playing time just when we were up or down, but I’m really excited.”
The Chiefs, however, don’t want Henne to focus on his last start. Andy Reid wants the 35-year-old quarterback to go out there and recapture his youth on Sunday.
“Yeah, well listen, I think he’s excited,” Reid said. “I always tell him, ‘Act like you’re 20. Try to remember those days and feel it.’ So, he’s all in. He’s excited, so a great opportunity for him. I mean, these guys love to play the game. That’s the neat part about it. It’s not like guys are ducking out of playing, they all want to get in there and go, but that’s a decision that I had to make there. But Chad’s very excited.”
Henne isn’t taking this opportunity lightly, either. There are only 32 starting quarterbacks each week and he knows the type of responsibility that comes with it. He knows that he has a chance to help his team achieve a 15-1 record for the first time in franchise history.
“I mean, it’s cool,” Henne said. “Anytime you get an opportunity to go out there and be the starter in the NFL, you don’t take it for granted and play like you’re 20.”
Henne has made spot appearances twice for the Chiefs so far this season. He won’t be worried about rust, especially when he’s already scored a touchdown this year.
The coaching staff has shown confidence in not only Henne’s ability as a passer but also his athleticism at the ripe old age of 35. They called a zone-read play in the red zone against the Broncos in Week 7 and Henne scored on the play.
“I was like ‘Are they serious right now? We’re going to run some zone right here,'” Henne quipped. “But hey, whatever they call as a quarterback, you try to make the best of it and make it work.”
Don’t expect an unfamiliar looking offense from Henne and the Chiefs on Sunday. The team won’t do much differently with Henne involved. He might not air the ball out as much as Mahomes does and they might lean on the run game a bit more, but this will virtually be the same offense that Mahomes has run all season.
“Yeah, I mean, there are definitely some different nuances, but for the most part it’s just what we’ve been running all year,” Henne said. “So, I have to be prepared if Patrick were to go down in a game and be able to run the offense, Coach Reid is not going to change anything in-game, so we kind of kept very similar offense to what we’re going to prepare for, for the Chargers, and go out there and execute.”
Another thing that Henne is also looking forward to in his opportunity to start — the role reversal with QB Patrick Mahomes.
“It’ll be great,” Henne said. “I mean, he’ll be in the game plan, he’ll study the film, he’ll give me some tips, but he’ll be in it, very involved and he’ll help me out just like Matt (Moore) and I helped him out.”
Alongside Henne, a number of young players in the Chiefs’ building will likely get the opportunity to start for the first time. That fact has the building buzzing with excitement and no one is more excited to help lead those players than Henne.
“I’m excited about the group that we’re going to have out there,” Henne said. “You know, should be fun on Sunday.”
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