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Dec. 31 (UPI) -- The Kansas City Chiefs will be without Patrick Mahomes when they play the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, as the reigning Super Bowl champions have opted to rest the quarterback for the last game of the regular season. The Chiefs announced Wednesday that Chad Henne will start on Sunday in Kansas City, Mo.
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Chiefs coach Andy Reid said earlier Wednesday he would rest some of the team's starters before the move became official. The Chiefs have already secured the No. 1 seed in the AFC and a first-round bye.
"I look forward to the challenge of playing the Chargers," Reid told reporters. "I think it's a good opportunity for our young guys that haven't had a chance to play to get in and play.
"I will sit some of the starters and rest them the best I can and get them ready for later. For now, I'm excited to let these other guys get in and have the opportunity to play."
Henne said he found out he would start on Tuesday. The 11-year veteran has completed 5 of 6 passes for 30 yards in two appearances this season. He has completed 59.3% of his throws for 12,990 yards, 58 scores and 63 interceptions in 70 career appearances.
Henne entered the league as a second-round pick by the Miami Dolphins in the 2008 NFL Draft.
"It has been a while," Henne said Wednesday. "It's crazy to think that my last [start] was 2014. I got all my games in when I was young, then I had a five- or six-year span where I didn't get any playing time."
Mahomes leads the NFL with 4,740 passing yards in 15 starts this season. He has completed a career-high 66.3% of his throws for 38 scores and six interceptions for the 14-1 Chiefs.
The Chiefs host the Chargers at 4:25 p.m. EST on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium.
