Tell us if you’ve heard this before: a former Michigan quarterback makes some incredible plays in the AFC semi-finals which seals victory for his team with a championship game up next?
Chad Henne was not supposed to be the postseason hero for the Kansas City Chiefs, the man partly responsible for sending the defending Super Bowl champions to their third consecutive AFC.
- Chad Henne celebrates during Sunday’s win. AP “He got hit in back of the head and it knocked the wind out of him,’’ Reid said. “He’s doing great right now, which is a real positive.
- Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Chad Henne throws a pass during the second half of an NFL divisional round football game against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021, in Kansas City.
Chad Henne College
While the first that comes to mind might be Tom Brady, alas, it wasn’t. It was former Wolverines signal-caller Chad Henne.
The Kansas City Chiefs appeared to be en route to a blowout win over the Cleveland Browns, but star quarterback Patrick Mahomes went out of the game with a concussion, which thrust Henne into action. The Browns got within striking distance, in part due to a Henne interception thrown in the end zone. But Henne struck back, looking more like he was in his mid-2000s form from when he was in Ann Arbor.
On a third-and-14, Cleveland was down five with no timeouts left. It was the other side of the two-minute warning. Momentum swinging the Browns direction, Henne kept the ball and took off, nearly getting to the first down marker.
While the celebration was on as it appeared he got the first down, after a measurement, it was fourth and half a yard. Henne retook the field, and the thought was he’d try to draw Cleveland offsides and then the Chiefs would punt.
But it wouldn’t happen that way. Henne snapped the ball and hit Tyreek Hill for a first down, sealing the game for K.C.
So, if and when Tom Brady has some heroics in the NFL playoffs, he’s not alone in being a former Michigan QB out there making big plays in big moments.
Chad Henne Qb
And naturally, Mahomes was appreciative of the former Wolverine helping his team secure the victory.