Chad Henne shouldn’t be the postseason hero for the Kansas City Chiefs, the man partially responsible for sending the Super Bowl champions to their third consecutive AFC Championship game. Henne, replacing Patrick Mahomes after the star quarterback suffered a concussion, was tasked with preserving the Chiefs’ lead in the second half – making the two biggest strokes of his career in consecutive moves to seal the 22-17 victory.
The victory was Henne’s first in the NFL since 2013, a long time for the longtime reserve quarterback. Henne – who actually has a Super Bowl ring with the Chiefs – has finally had the opportunity to make his own mark in the playoffs. Sunday’s victory over the Cleveland Browns was the first time Henne took a photo of the postseason, despite having played 14 years in the NFL.
Here are five interesting facts about the Chiefs playoff hero on Sunday:
NFL quarterback for 14 seasons, mostly as a reserve
Henne was chosen by the Miami Dolphins in the second round in 2008, starting 31 games for the team in four seasons and completing 60.6% of his passes with 31 touchdowns and 37 interceptions. Henne spent the next five seasons in Jacksonville – mostly as a reserve – completing 57.6% of his passes with 27 touchdowns and 26 interceptions.
Henne signed with the Chiefs in the 2018 season and didn’t miss the chance in the 2019 season due to a fractured ankle (Henne was on injury reserve when Matt Moore started in the place of Patrick Mahomes). Henne was the reserve defender for the Kansas City Super Bowl, winning his first Super Bowl ring.
Henne was in the NFL squad for eight postseason games before Sunday, but had never played in a playoff game. He has 60 touchdown passes and 63 interceptions (a career score of 76.1).
Holds several Michigan approval records
Henne is Michigan’s all-time passing leader in submissions (828), attempts (1,387), yards (9,715) and touchdowns (87). His 87 touchdown passes are the third in Big Ten history, behind JT Barrett (104) and Drew Brees (90). He defeated Tim Tebow and the Florida Gators in his last college game, winning the Capitol One Bowl as an MVP.
It was Michigan’s initial QB when it was disturbed by the Appalachian State
Henne was Michigan’s full-back for several seasons in the mid-2000s and played a key role in one of the biggest surprises in the history of college football. Michigan, who came in fifth in the country to start the season, lost to the Football Championship school Subdivision Appalachian State at the opening of the season in 2007 – Henne’s senior season.
Henne completed 19 of 37 passes for 233 yards, with a touchdown and an interception. He failed to convert a fourth pass down and launched his only interception in the fourth period, when Michigan was losing. The Wolverines were candidates for the national championship before the game and never recovered, falling out of the Associated Press vote after the defeat (they finished 18th in the final vote).
Graduated from the same school as Kerry Collins
Henne went to Wilson High School in West Lawn, Pennsylvania – located an hour from Philadelphia, in the Reading area. This is the same high school that Kerry Collins graduated from, former Penn State and NFL. Collins, who led the New York Giants to Super Bowl XXXV and made two Pro Bowls, is 20th in NFL history with 40,922 passing yards. He graduated from Wilson in 1991.
Pennsylvania High School Player of the Year
Henne was the best player in the state in his last year at Wilson, earning Gatorade Player of the Year honors. Other Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year winners who have had outstanding NFL careers include Lavar Arrington (1996) and Kyle Brady (1989). The prominent Pennsylvania college quarterbacks who won the award include Ron Powlus (1992) and Jeff Smoker (1999).
Henne threw 7,071 yards in his high school career, which was the fourth longest ever in PIAA history when he graduated in 2004. He was also a PIAA runner-up in the javelin in his senior year.