NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Just one week after the Kansas City Chiefs lost starting quarterback Patrick Mahomes to an ACL tear, quarterback Gardner Minshew is feared to have suffered a torn ACL during Sunday’s 26-9 loss to the Tennessee Titans, sources confirmed to ESPN.
Minshew sustained a left knee injury when he scrambled on the third play of the game and fell to the turf with what appeared to be a noncontact injury. Immediately after the play, Minshew reached for his left knee and hobbled off the field. He tried to continue playing but couldn’t use proper footwork on passing attempts, completing 3 of 8 passes for 15 yards.
Chris Oladokun, the Chiefs’ third-string quarterback, entered the game while Minshew was being evaluated in the medical tent with 11 minutes left in the second quarter. A few minutes later, Rick Burkholder, the team’s vice president of sports medicine and performance, hugged Minshew, who walked to the locker room without his helmet.
It was Minshew’s first start of the season. Starting quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered a season-ending torn ACL in his left knee during last week’s loss to the Los Angeles Chargers that eliminated the Chiefs from playoff contention.
Oladokun’s only previous NFL regular-season game came Jan. 5, backing up Carson Wentz for the Chiefs in a 38-0 blowout loss to Denver. Oladokun ran once for 5 yards, was sacked once and had a fumble in that loss.
He started at South Florida and also attended Samford and South Dakota State. Pittsburgh drafted Oladokun in 2022 with a seventh-round pick.
ChiefsDigest.com was first to report that Minshew is feared to have suffered a torn ACL.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.