Tag: Gabbert

Dec 10, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) and quarterback Blaine Gabbert (9) on field against the Buffalo Bills prior to a game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

No place for Mahomes: Chiefs to start QB Blaine Gabbert

Posted on | by Field Level Media

With no ground to gain in the AFC playoff picture by beating the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs are in preservation mode.

Blaine Gabbert will start in place of quarterback Patrick Mahomes and multiple regulars are headed for plenty of rest in a game head coach Andy Reid said would be used as a good audition for younger players.

Gabbert said he told the team, “Go out there and have fun.”

Win or lose to the Chargers (5-11), Kansas City (10-6) owns the No. 3 seed in the AFC regardless of any outcome on the Sunday schedule. Los Angeles has lost four consecutive games and seven of its last eight.

Among Gabbert’s goals for the game — get tight end Travis Kelce over 1,000 receiving yards for the eighth consecutive season. He’s at 984 through 16 games.

Kelce, who was inactive Week 1 with a knee injury, had a season-best 12 catches and 179 yards in Kansas City’s win over the Chargers in Week 7.

“He’s the best,” Gabbert said. “He has a rare feel for the game of football. He sees the game like a quarterback.”

Reid hasn’t made the final call on Kelce’s status, but Gabbert said the prolific production is a standard for not just Kelce, but the entire organization.

“If he wants to play, he’ll play. If Coach Reid says have him rest, he’s gonna rest,” Gabbert said. “Ultimately that’s on Coach Reid, but if we’re out there we’re going to do our damn best to get him 17 yards.”

Mahomes was NFL MVP in 2022 with 5,250 passing yards and 41 touchdowns, leading Kansas City to another Super Bowl victory in February.

The Chiefs will fall short of the 14-3 record they posted in 2022 and Mahomes’ totals aren’t as glowing: 4,183 passing yards, 27 touchdowns. His only four-TD game this season was Oct. 22 in the first meeting with the Chargers.

–Field Level Media

Aug 13, 2021; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals running back Chase Edmonds (2) runs the ball against Dallas Cowboys linebacker Keanu Neal (42) in the first half at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Billy Hardiman-USA TODAY Sports

Bucs add S Keanu Neal, re-sign QB Blaine Gabbert

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed veteran safety Keanu Neal and re-signed backup quarterback Blaine Gabbert on Wednesday.

Neal, a former Pro Bowler, has exceeded 100 tackles three times in his six-year career.

Neal spent his first five NFL seasons with the Atlanta Falcons — his Pro Bowl selection came in 2017 — before joining former Falcons head coach Dan Quinn in Dallas. Quinn, the defensive coordinator, moved Neal to linebacker and the latter had 72 tackles in 14 games (five starts) last season.

Overall, the 26-year-old Neal has 410 tackles, eight forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, two interceptions and two sacks in 63 games (53 starts).

Neal was a first-round pick (17th overall) in 2016 by the Falcons. He played college football at Florida.

Gabbert, 32, has seen action in 10 games over three seasons with the Buccaneers. He completed 16 of 27 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns while backing up Tom Brady the past two seasons.

Gabbert has played for five NFL teams and has a 13-35 record as a starter. He has thrown for 9,273 yards, 50 touchdowns and 47 interceptions.

Gabbert was the 10th overall pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2011 and made 27 starts in three seasons with the team. He also played for the San Francisco 49ers (2014-16), Arizona Cardinals (2017) and Tennessee Titans (2018) before joining the Buccaneers.

Gabbert spent the 2019 season on injured reserve after his dislocating his left (non-throwing) shoulder in a preseason game.

–Field Level Media