It's Chad Henne Time For Chiefs As Patrick Mahomes Gets Three-Week Break

Fantasy football season is over in most parts of the world, so the fact Patrick Mahomes won't be playing in Week 17 shouldn't upset anyone. It should make fans of the Kansas City Chiefs pretty happy though.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid said on Wednesday what most of us already assumed -- that Mahomes will indeed sit out Sunday's meaningless regular-season finale vs. the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Chiefs are 14-1 and have already secured the top seed and lone bye in the AFC playoffs. There is nothing left to play for but another Super Bowl championship, and they can't win that this weekend.

Reid added that Chad Henne will start at quarterback, giving Mahomes three weeks of rest before his next game. With the playoff picture still very murky, there's no telling whom the Chiefs might play in the first game. All we know is that it will be the lowest-remaining seed after the first-round games.

The only bad part of all this for Mahomes is that sitting out will keep him from compiling his second straight 5,000-yard passing season. He currently has 4,760.

Other than that, the only other fear might be a repeat of what happened to Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens last season. Jackson sat out for three weeks, including the regular-season finale, and then the 14-2 Ravens went out and laid an egg in their first playoff game.

But it's doubtful the same will happen to Mahomes and the Chiefs. So far, they look better than just about everyone else. When that is the case, you take a break when you can afford one.

Written by
Sam Amico spent 15 years covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated, FOX Sports and NBA.com, along with a few other spots, and currently runs his own basketball website on the side, FortyEightMinutes.com.