Chiefs' Chad Henne Tops Off Super Bowl 2023 Victory With Cheers To His Retirement

Kansas City Chiefs backup quarterback Chad Henne has played in the NFL for more than a decade. He previously played as a starting quarterback and a backup quarterback for the Miami Dolphins and the Jacksonville Jaguars. He then joined the Chiefs in 2018. He has only been active in 10 games since joining the Chiefs, and he started one game in the 2020 season.

Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce had nothing but praise for the no. 2 quarterback. "He's been in the building every single day," Mahomes said in a post-game interview after Henne had to step into the game for a small period of time while the starting quarterback was getting his ankle checked out. "He's made me so much of a better quarterback in the way he teaches me ... Just the most ready-to-go at all times quarterback."

And after another season of football has wrapped up, players have announced their retirement from the sport. JJ Watt announced his departure from the football field at the end of December 2022, and Tom Brady announced he was retiring "for good" on February 1, a little after he and his team were defeated by the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.

The Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl LVII, but backup quarterback Chad Henne celebrated his entire NFL career as well. "Calling it a career," he captioned his celebratory Instagram post (via Sports Illustrated), announcing his retirement from the sport after playing for more than a decade. "Capping it off with @budlight and another ring."

In the AFC Divisional Round against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Henne had to step in the game after Patrick Mahomes suffered a high-ankle sprain. Although Mahomes was able to resume play later in the game, the backup quarterback helped the Chiefs score a touchdown in the first quarter with an impressive drive down the field.

"I don't know if it's like riding a bike, but you're always prepared," Henne said in the post-game press conference. He then credited the rest of the offense for their performance as it helped him lead the team to success, despite being thrown into the game. "I think you just stay ready. And when your number's called, you just go in there and do what you did in practice and the meeting rooms and you just take it to the game."