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3 Chiefs free agents who could be forced into retirement

Who from the Chiefs might hang up the cleats this offseason?

By Leigh Oleszczak

Feb 11, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling (11)
Feb 11, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling (11) / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
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Blaine Gabbert

After the Chiefs won Super Bowl LVII, Chad Henne decided to call it a career after 15+ years in the NFL. Henne had won two Super Bowls with the Chiefs as Patrick Mahomes' backup and played a key role in getting them to the Super Bowl during the 2023 playoff run. When he stepped away from the game forever, KC needed to find a new backup quarterback to sit behind Patrick Mahomes.

The new backup quarterback ended up being former Missouri signal-caller Blaine Gabbert, who was a first-round pick by the Jaguars in 2011. Gabbert flamed out as a starter early in his career but has found a nice role as a backup over the last several seasons.

That being said, he's not necessarily a reliable backup. He threw the majority of his passes in the Week 18 season finale against the Chargers, tossing for 154 yards and one interception. Gabbert also got into the action in the blowout win over Chicago and threw two picks in that game. He finished the season with 185 yards passing and three interceptions so the stats aren't the most impressive and that could lead to teams staying away from him.

Gabbert won a Super Bowl as a member of the Buccaneers (against the Chiefs) in the 2020 season and then added a second Super Bowl ring with the Chiefs this past season. He's won two Super Bowls so if this is it for Gabbert, he's had a pretty good career in the grand scheme of things.