The last time Chad Henne started an NFL game was a long, long time ago.
On Wednesday, Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid made it official that Patrick Mahomes would be sitting instead of playing in order to earn some rest and stay healthy for the postseason. That means that backup quarterback Chad Henne is going to be making the scheduled start instead.
It’s been a very, very long time.
The last time that Henne was tasked with preparing to start a game for an NFL team, the Jacksonville Jaguars were preparing to face the Indianapolis Colts in a late September game in 2014. Yes, 2014. In Week 3 of that season, Henne would lose his job as the Jags starting quarterback to make way for a young strong-armed prospect they’d just taken in the first round at No. 3 overall in the preceding draft. In that game, Henne’s final NFL start, he would throw only 7 passes before being replaced by Blake Bortles.
It’s hilarious to think that Henne is still very much alive and kicking in the NFL so long after his previous start, but Andy Reid sang Henne’s praises earlier this week to reporters about what he brings to the quarterback room and his readiness. Still, it’s been over six years since Henne last started a game and it’s going to be interesting to see how he handles it.
For some perspective, other players who suited up in the game with Henne that day were Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne and running back Trent Richardson. Former Chiefs linebacker Andy Studebaker was also on that Indy roster as a special teams ace. It’s also the same year that Russia hosted the Olympics in Sochi, Robin Williams passed away, and Ebola was the health crisis of the moment.
Henne, who is now 35, is 18-35 in his NFL career as a starting quarterback. He’s thrown 58 touchdowns and 63 interceptions in 70 games (53 starts) with the Jags and Miami Dolphins.