Jan 4, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Chris Oladokun (19) throws the ball against the Las Vegas Raiders in the first half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Breaking Down Chris Oladokun’s Season for the Chiefs

Originally posted on Kansas City Chiefs on SI
By Fernando Alfaro-Donis | Last updated Jan 5, 2026 3:00 PM ET

If you were to examine the mind of a member of Chiefs Kingdom and pick out their nightmare scenario, the Kansas City Chiefs' 2025 season wouldn't be far off. In a season where the AFC is as wide open as it's ever been, the Chiefs are out of the playoffs, and Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL.

It's a shame Travis Kelce couldn't compete for a championship one final time before the curtain closes on his career, but there remains a small glimmer of hope that he'll be back next season. One of the most surprising developments of this season was the emergence of Chris Oladokun for the Chiefs,

When Duty Calls

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Oladokun was never meant to make his NFL debut this season. Gardner Minshew was their backup quarterback all season long, and if he had never torn his ACL against the Tennessee Titans, he would've remained their backup down the stretch.

However, that's not what ended up happening, and Oladokun got his chance to shine. I believe Oladokun has done enough to warrant him being the main Chiefs backup quarterback moving forward. What did he show in his three-game stretch that would make the Chiefs confident in keeping him around?

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His first NFL snaps were against the Titans, and that is where he showed the most flashes. It was his only game where he had over 100 yards passing, and he only missed five passes. The biggest difference between him and Minshew was that he wasn't afraid of attacking the middle of the field.

He stood in the pocket and delivered accurate strikes to his receivers, and he may have gotten overzealous with trying to make something happen on the ground, but through three starts, he never turned the ball over.

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His first and only start was against the mighty Denver Broncos defense, and that's the game where he threw his first career touchdown. He only got sacked once and kept the game close throughout. Their offense wasn't very good, but considering the situation, to keep the game one-score is impressive for a third-string quarterback.

Finally, he split his time against the Las Vegas Raiders with Shane Buechele. This was his worst of his three performances, as he continued to look inept against a weak defense. The Chiefs saw firsthand how important it is to have a good backup quarterback. In his limited snaps, Oladokun has remained calm in the face of pressure, ready to play when asked to, and didn't make any mistakes. His play wasn't perfect, but he deserves to be their main backup moving forward.