The Chiefs‘ Friday night contest against the Seahawks will look different. While Kansas City’s starters have frequently played for brief moments in the first two preseason games under Andy Reid, the HC will depend on other players this time. “I’m still kind of figuring out who’s going to play and not play, that whole deal… We want to make sure we get a good look at these guys, these younger guys, so we’ll see how it rolls going forward,” Reid said in a press conference following practice on Wednesday.

But what about Patrick Mahomes? During their first preseason game against the Cardinals, he played three snaps and went 1-for-1 for one-yard and one touchdown. And so, during the press conference, when a curious reporter asked if fans might see the Chiefs’ star quarterback suit up against Seattle, Andy Reid didn’t give a clear answer.

“We’ll see. There is a good chance he doesn’t. But we’ll see how it goes.” If anything, Wednesday’s training camp practice already hinted at this. Backup QB Gardner Minshew was seen taking reps with the starters. Also, Mahomes and TE Travis Kelce worked with the scout team. While Reid is making some unusual changes this time, at the end of the day, they trust their coach’s decision.

Regardless, Reid suggested that starters might get some playing time in their third preseason game against the Bears. For longtime Chiefs fans, that is also a departure from the norm. Historically, Reid has had starters sit out of the third preseason game, allowing the rest of the roster to have an opportunity to make an impression.

But that’s also good news for Chiefs’ fans because starters could return to play against the Bears—the team’s only home preseason game this season. However, what’s going on with the Seahawks?

Well, their plan is quite contrasting to what the Chiefs have come up with. During their first preseason game against the Raiders, nearly all the starters rested. So, HC Mike Macdonald expects his starters to face Kansas City. On the other hand, Mahomes would have loved to play against Seattle.

A quarterback’s plea behind the Chiefs’ perfect front

While Mahomes trusts his coach’s decision to rest him, the QB loves football. So he will be ready in case his team needs him. “I always want to play… I always want to be out there and playing. You could say that you don’t want to play, and then you get to the game and it’s like, ‘Man, I want to be in the game and playing a game with my teammates’.

“At the end of the day, I trust in coach Reid and his process. He has a reason for everything that he does. Like I said, I’ll be ready to play this week… If I get to play, I’ll be ready to go, and if I don’t, I’ll be ready to go again the next week. And if not, I’ll be just as energized on the sideline as if I was playing in the game,” he said post Wednesday’s practice.

If Mahomes sits out, Gardner Minshew will most probably get the start. He signed with the team this offseason to be Mahomes’ backup.