SB #6

Shane Buechele

Quarterback · SMU

A former Texas and SMU standout who once became just the second true freshman to start at quarterback for the Longhorns, Shane Buechele has spent his pro career as a well-traveled backup.

Shane Buechele built a prolific college resume across two programs, first starting as a true freshman at Texas before transferring to SMU and rewriting the Mustangs' passing record book. His NFL career has taken a much quieter path, bouncing between practice squads and backup roles with Kansas City and Buffalo while he waits for a real shot.

★ First-team All-AAC selection at SMU (2019)

★ Super Bowl LVII champion with the Kansas City Chiefs

★ 11,660 career passing yards and 87 touchdowns across Texas and SMU

Path to the league

Buechele became the second true freshman ever to start at quarterback for Texas in 2016, throwing for 2,958 yards and 21 touchdowns that season. After transferring to SMU, he threw for 3,929 yards and 34 touchdowns in 2019, earning First-team All-AAC honors, and finished his college career with 11,660 passing yards and 87 touchdowns across 42 starts. He went undrafted in 2021 and signed with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Career highlights

Buechele won a Super Bowl LVII ring with the Chiefs in 2022 while inactive for the season. He later signed with the Buffalo Bills, spending time on the practice squad, before a neck injury sidelined him for the entire 2024 season.

2025 season recap

Buechele did not appear in a regular-season game for the Bills in 2025 while recovering from his neck injury, though he impressed in the preseason, throwing for 278 yards and a touchdown in a win over Tampa Bay. Kansas City re-signed him in December 2025 to address quarterback injuries, and he made his first career NFL regular-season appearance on January 4, 2026, completing 7 of 14 passes for 88 yards before being released the next day. He signed a reserve/futures contract with Buffalo in February 2026.