Chiefs Weigh Reunion With QB Beaten Out in 2023 Roster Battle Amid QB3 Turmoil

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — August 2025 — With Patrick Mahomes cemented as QB1 and Gardner Minshew holding the QB2 job, the race behind them remains unsettled between Bailey Zappe and Chris Oladokun. Against that backdrop, a plausible option is on the table: the Kansas City Chiefs are considering a reunion with Shane Buechele — the quarterback who was waived at final cuts in 2023 after competing with Blaine Gabbert, then moved on to the Buffalo Bills. (Any reunion would depend on a change in Buechele’s current status with Buffalo.)

Buechele is a familiar face at Arrowhead: an undrafted signing in 2021, he bounced between the active roster and practice squad, earned a Super Bowl LVII ring with the team, was waived on Aug. 29, 2023, and later joined the Bills’ practice squad, signing again in early 2025. His biggest selling point is fluency in Andy Reid’s offense, which would reduce install lag if the Chiefs want a short-term stabilizer at QB3.

Buechele’s perspective:
“Getting cut in ’23 was tough to swallow, but I respect how things run in Kansas City. If I get the chance to come back — wearing the red and gold of Chiefs Kingdom — I’m here to compete and push the room. And to Pat and the guys: I’m grinding every day to settle an old debt with myself.”

Right after those remarks, the realistic next step would be Buechele jumping into a quick refresh — syncing up verbiage, protections, timing in play-action/two-minute, and running scout-team looks to keep practices clean and on schedule. Internally, there would be no promises attached to any reunion; the mandate is simple: raise the floor, operate crisply, and be ready when called.

For the Chiefs, this isn’t about rewriting 2023 — it’s about earning 2025. If Buechele smooths the day-to-day and keeps the operation on schedule, he’ll give himself a real shot at the QB3 seat — or a protected practice-squad role once the 53 is set. Either way, the standard in Kansas City doesn’t change: show up, stack good days, and honor the red and gold.