Patrick Mahomes won’t be taking the field when the Chiefs open the preseason against the Rams on Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium, and Andy Reid has now made that part official.
Reid said this week that Kansas City’s plan is to keep its two-time MVP on the sideline as he continues coming back from the torn ACL and LCL that ended his 2025 season in Week 15 against the Chargers. Mahomes has been in every training camp practice this summer, but the Chiefs aren’t treating an exhibition game like a test case for his return.
“The way the rotation will go is Pat won’t start or play,” Reid said, according to Chiefs on SI. “So it’ll be Justin (Fields) and then (Garrett) Nussmeier, and then Chris (Oladokun) will take it from there.”
That report was first relayed by Chiefs reporter Matt McMullen and later confirmed by CBS Sports, which cited the team’s official site. By Saturday, Mahomes will be about eight months removed from surgery, but Reid has made it clear he isn’t interested in rushing him into live action just to chase a little preseason rust.
Tyrann Mathieu, who watched Mahomes work at camp, reportedly came away impressed with what he saw, according to HITC. Even so, practice reps are one thing. Game snaps against unfamiliar rushers are another, and Kansas City is not pushing that button yet.
Chris Jones sounds like he’s on the same page.
The veteran defensive tackle said Thursday he’d rather not see the starters at all against Los Angeles. “Why play the starters?
I mean, it’s so much risk you’re taking to play starters in preseason. I hope Coach Reid will be like, ‘You know what, starters don’t play,'” Jones said, per Yardbarker.
Matt Derrick captured Jones’ comments on video and posted them to X. Derrick posted on X: “Chris Jones said Thursday he hopes Andy Reid won’t play the Chiefs’ starters against the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday”
Chris Jones said Thursday he hopes Andy Reid won’t play the Chiefs’ starters against the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday, and he had a demonstrative reason why.
“I want to play against your starters.” pic.twitter.com/FcU10aoPB5
- Matt Derrick (@mattderrick) August 13, 2026
Jones, who is 32 and entering his 11th NFL season, didn’t shut the door on playing if he’s asked. “I don’t want to play preseason.
I’d rather not play, but if I do have to play, I’ma buckle up,” he said. He also made it clear what kind of matchup he’d prefer: “I want to play against their starters.
You know what I mean? I want to play against the guys that are going to be starting on Sunday, because you like to weigh yourself out - where I’m at, where I can improve.”
That kind of setup doesn’t look likely, either. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford isn’t expected to play Saturday, which fits Sean McVay’s usual approach of sitting starters in preseason games.
The cautionary tale is already sitting right there from Thursday night. Cincinnati started Joe Burrow against the Lions, and the downside showed up immediately.
Burrow was sacked on the Bengals’ opening drive and took a hard hit on his lone incompletion. He finished his two-series outing 5 of 6 for 39 yards before handing things over to Joe Flacco, according to Yahoo Sports.
NFL insider Ari Meirov posted video of the sack on X: “#Bengals QB Joe Burrow is sacked on the opening possession of preseason”
#Bengals pic.twitter.com/4KxPexj694
- Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) August 13, 2026
Burrow got up and Cincinnati still won, but it was the exact kind of moment Jones was talking about: a franchise quarterback taking unnecessary contact in a game that doesn’t count in the standings.
For the Chiefs, the priority is simple. Mahomes is aiming to be ready for the regular-season opener on Monday Night Football against the Denver Broncos on Sept.
- Everything between now and then is about getting him there healthy, and a quiet preseason debut is a whole lot more valuable than any meaningless throw he might’ve made against the Rams.
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