Chiefs’ Andy Reid Sends Sturdy Message on Justin Fields’ ‘Gadget Man’ Label

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Head coach Andy Reid of the Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs are coming off their worst season in current reminiscence, because it appeared as if nothing went proper through the 2025 marketing campaign. As if lacking the NFL playoffs wasn’t unhealthy sufficient, famous person quarterback Patrick Mahomes went down with a season-ending knee harm.

With Mahomes working his means again from a torn ACL, the Chiefs needed to safe the quarterback place the most effective they may within the occasion their face of the franchise was unable to be underneath middle for Week 1.

As a consequence, they’ve introduced in veteran journeyman Justin Fields to assist shoulder the load.

Justin Fields’ Role Made Clear by Andy Reid

GettyPatrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs meets Justin Fields #1 of the Chicago Bears

Although Fields is coming off a tough one-year stint with the New York Jets, longtime Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has favored what he has seen from the 27-year-old to this point, as he said to the media because the workforce’s offseason program received underway this week.

“I appreciate Justin and the way he’s gone about everything so far,” Reid stated of Fields. “He’s been great with everything. I don’t know him as well as I will have known him once we get through a few weeks here, but I like from afar what I’ve seen. I like when I’ve met with him what I’ve seen.”

Reid additionally felt compelled to set the document straight on Fields and dispel the notion that the Ohio State product is nothing greater than a “gadget guy” on the quarterback place for the Chiefs.

“We didn’t bring him to be a gadget guy, although he can do every gadget there is,” Reid stated. “We didn’t bring him in to do that. … He’s a legitimate quarterback, a starting quarterback, in the National Football League, and we’re lucky enough to have him here. If that’s the role that he plays early in the season, we have full confidence that he can do a great job with that.”

Clearly, Reid is assured in Fields’ potential to be a beginning quarterback, and if Mahomes isn’t in a position to take the sector to begin the 2026 NFL season, the Chiefs are going to wish the veteran newcomer to contribute straight away underneath middle.

Andy Reid Provides an Update on Patrick Mahomes

GettyPatrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs

As for Mahomes, the three-time Super Bowl champion is staying constructive whereas recovering from the knee harm and holding out hope he’ll be prepared for Week 1.

Along with chiming in on Fields in Kansas City, Reid additionally gave a bit of replace on Mahomes’ standing.

“He goes to meetings, he can lift, do all of that, rehab,” Reid stated of Mahomes. “That’s the phase he is in right now, so we will just see, play it by ear, and see where he is at.

“He’s doing great, but we just have to be smart with this thing.”

It’ll be fascinating to see how issues pan out for the Chiefs concerning Mahomes’ state of affairs and whether or not this workforce can choose up the items and put all of it collectively once more in 2026.

Ryan Ward is a longtime credentialed author overlaying the NBA and NFL. He has over 15 years of expertise within the sports activities trade from writing, enhancing, social media administration and podcasting. He has lined the Lakers and Raiders for Medium Large Sports, with a earlier stint at ClutchPoints. Ward is a Los Angeles native from the United Kingdom, who now resides in Colorado.
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