Gardner Minshew Returns To Arrowhead As Cardinals Starter

The man who once sat on the bench for the Kansas City Chiefs is now the starter for the team coming to town to play them. Josh Weinfuss of ESPN reported that Gardner Minshew, formerly with the Chiefs, has become the starting quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals. Consequently, he faces his old team when Arizona visits Arrowhead on November 22nd. It is a twist no one saw coming for a player who was just a backup a year ago.

During the 2025 offseason, Minshew agreed to a one-year, $1.17 million deal with the Chiefs to serve as Patrick Mahomes’ backup. The experience in Kansas City became painful for him when Mahomes sustained a season-ending ACL and LCL injury during Week 15. Although Minshew started against the Tennessee Titans in Week 16, he broke his tibial plateau during that contest, ending his season. Signing with the Cardinals in the 2026 offseason, he replaced starter Jacoby Brissett last week. He guided the squad to a 33-30 win over the Dallas Cowboys.

A Team Reeling From a Collapse

The Chiefs need this win badly after a terrible loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday, November 1. Overturning an 11-point hole, the Broncos scored 15 straight points in the fourth quarter to stun the Chiefs 28-24 and claim the division lead. Following a 5-0 start, the Chiefs have dropped consecutive games, including a lopsided loss last weekend to Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. Sky Sports NFL’s Jeff Reinebold said on Inside the Huddle, “It will be one that is gonna haunt them for a long time because this was a game where they could have taken control of the division.”

Patrick Mahomes walked off the field with a series of facial expressions that showed disappointment, frustration and regret. Leading by 11 points late in the second half, the Chiefs surrendered the lead and their AFC West standing to the Broncos due to a mistake-ridden fourth quarter. “The execution just wasn’t at a high enough level,” Mahomes said. “We made big plays, and we made plays happen against a really good defense, but you’ve got to execute for the full 60 minutes. We weren’t able to do it.”

Can Simmons Return for the Fight?

Minshew returning to Kansas City might not be the primary narrative of that matchup. Josh Simmons, an offensive tackle, will become eligible for activation off injured reserve for the first time this week. He will have sat out the mandatory four games before facing Arizona. Since injuring his back with a bulging disc during training camp, Simmons has not played this season. He resumed practice in Week 6 but did not see action against the Los Angeles Chargers. A setback occurred the next week, leading to the choice to put Simmons on IR. Simmons returning against the Cardinals would be excellent news. While rookie Kahlil Benson has done well under pressure, Simmons represents a significant improvement.

The Chiefs face a three-game stretch where taking care of business will be crucial. In Week 9 they host the New York Jets, travel to Atlanta to face the Falcons in Week 10, and return home for a Week 11 game against the Arizona Cardinals.will travel to Atlanta to face the Falcons in Week 10. Now, they are back home in Week 11 to play the Arizona Cardinals. All of those teams have losing records. To stay in the hunt for the AFC West title after a two-game losing streak, the Chiefs must handle business against those three opponents. They cannot afford another loss to a team they are supposed to beat.