The Kansas City Chiefs have an important decision to make in the final game of the 2024 regular season. That decision is based on whether the team will play their starters or rest them. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid offered some coach speak about the potential of the team starting Patrick Mahomes and the rest of their star players during a presser on Monday.
Reid states that he has not spoken to the players yet about the chance of starters playing against the Denver Broncos. Once everyone returns from having some time off, he will speak to Mahomes and the rest of the starters about if they want to go out and play against the Broncos. Should the Chiefs rest their starters against the Broncos, it would be good news for Denver, as they are still searching for a playoff spot. If they win against Kansas City, they are in.
The Chiefs playing their starters would also benefit the Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals, who are also angling for a playoff spot. If Kansas City plays their starters and the Dolphins beat the New York Jets, they would sneak into the playoffs. If the Bengals beat the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Broncos and Dolphins lose — they are in.
Despite the value of players getting a week of rest before a presumed long playoff, resting players could also have the opposite effect. Reid understands this as well and commented on the fact that he sees the value of also making sure Chiefs starters remain “sharp.” “You have to stay sharp. Everything gets faster in the playoffs. It’s single elimination, you’ve got to make sure your game is peak every time you play,” Reid stated.
Again, it would make sense for Reid to want to keep the Chiefs starters on the field, so they can stay ready for their playoff run. Conversely, Kansas City has already locked up the No. 1 seed, meaning they get a first-round bye. Resting Chiefs starters would then mean they get two weeks off as opposed to the one. That might be a big concern for Reid, as Kansas City is aiming to be the first team to win a third consecutive Super Bowl.
Reid stated he would reveal more about the decision after he speaks to the players, so expect a decision to come in the next few days. It is highly believed that the Chiefs will choose to rest their starters, but that is clearly not the case yet.
