KSHB 41 reporter Tod Palmer covers sports business and eastern Jackson County. He also serves as our game-day digital reporter for the Chiefs. Share your story idea with Tod.
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Quarterback Chris Oladokun played his first significant NFL snaps Sunday in the Chiefs’ loss in Nashville, and the man whose injury opened the door to make the moment possible — Patrick Mahomes — was the first to congratulate him.
“I opened my phone (after the game), he was the first text I saw,” Oladokun said. “That’s the type of guy he is.”
Mahomes had surgery Monday to repair a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee, which he suffered a week ago.
Backup quarterback Gardner Minshew got the start in a 26-9 loss at the Tennessee Titans, but Mahomes’ injury prompted Kansas City to sign Oladokun from the practice squad to the active roster.
When Minshew left with a suspected ACL tear in his left knee in the second quarter, Oladokun took the reins of the Chiefs’ offense.
“Obviously, you see Gardner go down and you hate it for him,” Oladokun said. “The next thing my mind went to was, ‘All right, I’ve got to rally the troops now and go win a football game.’”
The Chiefs struggled with penalties — there were five false starts in the game, for instance — and converted only 1 of 9 third downs, but Oladokun provided a spark when he initially entered the game.
“Being here for four years, you always walk through when your first moment’s going to be and when you’re going to sort of get an opportunity,” Oladokun said. “I’ve really just attacked these last four years like, ‘You never know.’ Today just happened to be an opportunity for me and I wanted to take full advantage of it.”
The Chiefs trailed 2-0 when Oladokun entered the game. He led the offense into field-goal range on the next four drives.
After a turnover on downs, Oladokun’s first drive led to a go-ahead 54-yard field goal for Kansas City’s only lead of the game.
The Titans answered with a go-ahead touchdown before Oladokun engineered a nifty two-minute drill for another field goal just before halftime.
Harrison Butker missed a 51-yard try on the Chiefs’ first drive in the third quarter, but he connected on a short kick later in the period that kept it a one-score game entering the fourth quarter.
“I thought he did OK,” coach Andy Reid said. He was able to get us moving a little bit. I probably could give him better stuff to work with — in particular, get him some more reps during the week. He doesn’t have any reps to lead, but I thought for what he was asked to do he did a nice job.”
Oladokun finished the game 11 of 16 for 111 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. He also had 7 yards rushing — and much-appreciated encouragement from Mahomes from afar.
“We’ve gotten pretty close over the last four years,” Oladokun said. “I don’t have a big brother, so, in a way, he’s taken on a big-brother role for me — not only on the field in my development, but also off the field and just always being there for me. He’s a great friend and he’s like that for everyone. There’s not a bad thing I could say about him.”
Oladokun played five snaps without attempting a pass in the regular-season finale a year ago in Denver.
His first pass against the Titans was a throwaway, but his second career NFL throw was a 6-yard pass over the middle to future Hall of Fame tight end Travis Kelce.
“I’ve built a great relationship with him (Kelce) over the last couple years,” Oladokun said, “but, if you would have told me my first completion in the NFL was going to be to him, I probably would have laughed at you.”
Asked for his biggest takeaway from the performance, Oladokun said, “That the moment wasn't too big for me. I felt really calm out there. I felt like I was seeing things pretty well. The game didn’t seem too fast for me.”
Kansas City will be in the market to add another quarterback this week — Oladokun’s the only healthy QB left on the roster and they’d rather not press Noah Gray into emergency action — but Oladokun is in line to start on a short week against the AFC West-leading Denver Broncos.
“I’m ready for the opportunity,” Oladokun said. “It’s not only a great opportunity for me, but it’s a great opportunity for our team. Go out there and battle. That’s all I can ask of these guys, go out there and battle. ... The possibility of making my first start on Christmas Day is pretty special. I have family in town and stuff like that, so I’m looking forward to it.”
He added, “It’s surreal, but also it’s business as usual. Time to go to work and get ready for Denver.”
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