Chiefs likely to rest Patrick Mahomes, starters in season finale

The Kansas City Chiefs head into Week 17 owning a 14-1 record, an opening-round playoff bye and the top seed in the AFC.

With nothing left to gain from next Sunday's contest against the Los Angeles Chargers, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid is planning to sit quarterback Patrick Mahomes and other starters for at least portions of that game. 

Veteran Chad Henne is second on the depth chart beneath Mahomes. 

"There's a good chance you might see Chad somewhere in that game, if not the beginning then somewhere in there," Reid told reporters on Monday, per Adam Teicher of ESPN. "I'm not telling you it's not the beginning. I'm sorting through all of it."

Reid added that he hasn't yet made a final call on who will play and who will sit on the first Sunday of January 2021, but said that wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Sammy Watkins could be spectators against the Chargers. 

"Tyreek Hill, how many miles has this kid put on?" Reid explained. "The wear and tear that that does and Sammy (Watkins) too. You look at that part, the wear and tear on legs."

Earlier in the day, Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians said that he wouldn't rest his starters for the Week 17 showdown versus the Atlanta Falcons. The Bucs possess a wild-card berth but want to clinch a playoff game against the eventual NFC East champion that will finish the regular season with a losing record.