KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A particular element of the Chiefs offense this season has led coach Andy Reid to smile and chuckle multiple times. “He’s been doing it for a few years,” Reid said Monday of tight end Travis Kelce. “We do it in practice every day. This isn’t just something we throw out there on game day. It’s something we do. Everything is OK with that — just as long as you complete them.”
Kelce, a 12-year veteran, has a pretty unassailable resume. He’s a future Hall of Famer, three-time Super Bowl champion, and tight end who holds the record for the most touchdown receptions in Chiefs history (76), along with Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez.
This season, Kelce has added another wrinkle to his game: he has perfected the lateral pass.
In the Chiefs’ win over the rival Las Vegas Raiders, Kelce’s most memorable highlight came when he avoided being tackled in the middle of the field by pitching the ball backward to running back Samaje Perine, who then gained a critical first down.
“Yeah, man, right place, right time,” Kelce said on Wednesday’s episode of “New Heights,” the podcast he hosts with his brother, Jason. “I’m happy it worked. … This is just an instinct that I had and I’m lucky we were able to get a fresh set of downs.”
Kelce hasn’t gotten in trouble with Reid this season because he’s successfully executed his two lateral attempts, tossing the ball to Perine each time to help the Chiefs reach the red zone.
“It started off as kind of a joke,” quarterback Patrick Mahomes said of Kelce’s combination of skill and boldness. “Now, it’s become a thing. As long as he completes it, Coach is going to keep letting him do it.”
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