The Kansas City Chiefs will have a new backup quarterback behind Patrick Mahomes for the third consecutive season.

Former Jacksonville Jaguars, Philadelphia Eagles, Indianapolis Colts, and Las Vegas Raiders QB Gardner Minshew officially inked a one-year contract with the Chiefs earlier this week.

There are a lot of reasons to like this signing for Kansas City. You might recall that Minshew made his NFL debut against the Chiefs in 2019, going 22-of-25 for 275 passing yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. His free-spirited, gun-slinging style meshes exceptionally well with what K.C. already has in Mahomes.

From a financial perspective, he’s expected to make no more than the veteran minimum, which will be deducted from the $7.7M the Raiders will pay him in 2025. Because of his release from Las Vegas, he won’t count toward the compensatory pick formula.

Beyond that, one unique thing about the Minshew signing stands out as a first in the Mahomes era.

Gardner Minshew is the Chiefs’ first backup QB to be younger than Patrick Mahomes

Minshew is a six-season NFL veteran with 46 career starts, fitting the Chiefs’ preferences for an experienced player backing up Mahomes. But he’s unlike Chad Henne, Matt Moore, Blaine Gabbert, or Carson Wentz in one distinct way. Should Minshew be the No. 2 quarterback behind Mahomes in 2025, he’ll be the only player younger than Mahomes to serve as his backup.

It’s not a massive age difference, as Minshew turns 29 in May, and Mahomes turns 30 in September. However, it’s a striking departure when you consider that the Chiefs haven’t yet switched to a common NFL mode—to draft and develop a younger quarterback behind a star player. This mostly signals that Mahomes is getting older. You can’t fight Father Time; he’ll eventually come for everyone.

This might also begin a new norm for Andy Reid in Kansas City. Surrounding Mahomes with some youth in the quarterback room could challenge, inspire, and push his leadership to new heights.