Chiefs set rookie Garrett Nussmeier to start Friday’s preseason finale vs. Seahawks

The Kansas City Chiefs will turn to rookie quarterback Garrett Nussmeier for the start of their preseason finale this Friday night, when the team hosts the Seattle Seahawks at Arrowhead Stadium. The game is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m., giving the Chiefs their final evaluation window of the exhibition schedule.

Preseason quarterbacks often represent the most deliberate roster test of the late summer, and for Kansas City the timing matters because this will be the last chance to see Nussmeier operating with the early offensive starters and the primary game plan language that typically carries over into the regular season. Even in exhibition games, teams use these reps to assess decision-making under live coverage and to gauge how quickly a quarterback can process the variety of looks defenses show before Week 1.

The opponent, Seattle, also enters the evening as a common measuring stick for offensive timing and play design. For both teams, the final preseason meeting is frequently treated as a reset point: coaching staffs adjust rotation patterns, tighten the emphasis on specific packages, and use the late-week tempo to evaluate whether individual roles are clearly defined.

Nussmeier’s role as the designated starter for Friday gives Kansas City a clear storyline to track from the opening drive. How he manages the cadence, handles third-down situations, and coordinates with the pass protection group will be central, particularly because preseason starters are often evaluated on repeatable fundamentals rather than single highlight plays.

For the Chiefs, the practical outcome of this game is straightforward: it closes the 2026 preseason book and helps determine who gets the right leverage moving into final roster decisions and the early regular-season rhythm. For the Seahawks, the same matchup provides a chance to stress-test their defensive communication against a first-start rookie quarterback in a high-intent environment.

The most important caveat is what preseason games can and cannot conclusively prove. While Friday’s start will offer real live reps and clear coaching context, preseason performance still exists in a universe of second-and-third unit rotations, limited script changes, and controlled game planning. Still, the decision to start Nussmeier at Arrowhead makes this weekend’s action one of the more direct quarterback evaluation moments Kansas City has left this preseason.