Report: Patrick Mahomes Won't Play for Chiefs vs. Broncos; Carson Wentz Will Start

The Kansas City Chiefs, with nothing to play for in Week 18 after clinching the top overall seed in the AFC playoffs on Christmas, will reportedly give Patrick Mahomes a breather.

The superstar quarterback won't play against the Denver Broncos next week, per Peter Schrager of Fox Sports, with Kansas City starting backup Carson Wentz instead.

Wentz's last start came in January of last year, also a meaningless game, as his team at the time—the Los Angeles Rams—had already clinched a playoff berth. Wentz played well in the contest, finishing 17-of-24 for 163 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, taking two sacks. He also rushed 17 times for 56 yards and the game-winning touchdown in a 23-17 win over the San Francisco 49ers.

Since spending his first five seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles (2016-20), Wentz has bounced around the NFL. He served as the starting quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts in the 2021 season, was the Washington Commanders' starter for half a season in 2022 and has been a backup for both the Rams (2023) and Chiefs (2024) since.

At his best, Wentz played at an MVP contender level, but has never hit that form since tearing his ACL in the 2017 season. Nick Foles famously went on to lead the Eagles to their first-ever Super Bowl title that year.

As for next week's matchup with the Broncos, it has absolutely zero meaning for Kansas City and it absolutely vital for Denver, the Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts and Miami Dolphins, all still technically alive in the playoff picture.

Denver's math is simple—win and the final playoff berth in the AFC belongs to them. Should the Broncos lose, however, things get far more complicated based on the number of teams that finish 9-8. That means Wentz has the potential to be a major chaos agent in the AFC Wild Card chase.