Chiefs Land New Backup for Patrick Mahomes, Reportedly Trade for Justin Fields

Updated Mar. 16, 2026 12:13 p.m. ET

The Kansas City Chiefs are getting an experienced quarterback to back up Patrick Mahomes as he rehabs from an ACL tear.

The Chiefs are trading for Jets QB Justin Fields, ESPN reported Monday. New York will reportedly receive a sixth-round pick in the 2027 draft from Kansas City, while the Chiefs will get a seventh-round pick from the Jets. As part of the deal, the Chiefs will take on $3 million of Fields' $10 million guaranteed salary for this season, NFL Media reported.

Fields will presumably be the Chiefs' top quarterback for their offseason program, at the very least. Mahomes tore his ACL in December, likely sidelining him for much of the offseason.

Justin Fields started nine games for the Jets last season before being benched in mid-November. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

Mahomes and the Chiefs have expressed optimism that he'll be ready for the start of the regular season. But Kansas City didn't have another experienced quarterback on its roster prior to Monday's trade, making a move for a veteran quarterback necessary. With 2025 backup Gardner Minshew signing with the Arizona Cardinals as a free agent, the only other quarterbacks on the Chiefs' roster prior to Monday were Chris Oladokun and Jake Haener.

Fields, meanwhile, could use the opportunity to potentially jump-start his career. After signing a two-year, $40 million deal last offseason, he went 2-7 in nine starts for the Jets, throwing for just 1,259 yards, seven touchdowns and an interception. He also added 383 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns. Fields was benched in mid-November as New York's offense ranked among the worst in football. 

The Jets indicated their plans to move on from Fields in the opening week of free agency when they traded for veteran quarterback Geno Smith from the Las Vegas Raiders. Smith was originally drafted by the Jets and spent the first five years of his career with them.

Fields, who turned 27 earlier in March, has shown promise at points in his five-year career but has largely struggled as a passer. He's 16-37 as a starter with the Bears, Steelers and Jets, posting a career 84.7 passer rating.