The Week 5 match between the Chiefs and the Saints saw Travis Kelce take on a surprising role. The tight end creatively assisted his team in gaining crucial yardage before halftime by executing an underhand lateral pass to Samaje Perine.
While the maneuver sparked conversations throughout the NFL, even Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes couldn’t resist commenting on Kelce’s play during the post-game conference. Mahomes shared that he had given Kelce entirely different instructions and found the short pass unexpected.
“I mean, I’m shaking my head because I told him before the play ‘I’ll throw it to you so you can get in field goal range.’ And he underhand shoveled it across the entire field,” said Mahomes. “It’s like I’m talking to Sterling,” he joked. “That’s Travis, man. He’s a special player.”
On a third-and-22 play, Mahomes delivered a short pass to his tight end, who opted for a different approach. Kelce maneuvered slightly across the field, dodging several defenders, before executing a perfectly timed underhand lateral to Perine.
The Chiefs secured a gain of 15 yards from this play, which allowed them the opportunity to convert on the next play into a field goal. Although the pass surprised the audience, this wasn’t the first time the Kansas City tight end showcased such a move.
In the previous year, during a game against the Bills, Kelce successfully completed an overhand pass to Kadarius Toney. Unfortunately, the Chiefs were unable to convert that play into a go-ahead touchdown due to an offside penalty called against Toney for lining up in the neutral zone.
The context from last year indicates that this was not an impulsive decision by Kelce. Coach Reid recently clarified this point.
Andy Reid clarifies Kelce’s lateral play
Like many others in the league, ESPN broadcaster Troy Aikman suggested that Kelce’s lateral was an unscripted play rather than one that was planned.
However, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid revealed otherwise. Reid confirmed that the play was indeed a planned call and described it as something the team regularly practices. He stopped short of disclosing the play’s name. Reid emphasized:
“We do it every day in practice, I can’t tell you the name of it”
Reid’s remarks suggest a well-thought-out strategy, reflecting the KC team’s ongoing efforts to devise unique plays. All eyes will be on the Chiefs in their next game against the 49ers on October 20th, where fans hope to see another execution of the unnamed play.
Image Source: Patrick Heath Photography / Shutterstock
