Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid had to get creative with his play schemes while dealing with a myriad of injuries on the offensive side of the ball.
Through the first five weeks of the season, the Chiefs have lost several of their biggest stars to serious health setbacks. Running back Isiah Pacheco is expected to miss 6-8 weeks with a fractured fibula, while wide receiver Rashee Rice is reportedly “unlikely” to play again this season after injuring his knee in Week 4 against the Los Angeles Chargers .
Wideout Marquise "Hollywood" Brown, meanwhile, was placed on injured reserve and is expected to miss the entirety of the regular season due to a shoulder injury he sustained in the Chiefs’ preseason opener.
In the absence of the aforementioned playmakers, Reid has turned to an unconventional group of players to carry the offensive load. Prior to kickoff of Monday’s matchup between the Chiefs and New Orleans Saints , Kansas City announced that four tight ends - Travis Kelce , Noah Gray, Jared Wiley, and Jody Fortson - would be active on the 53-man roster.
It didn’t take long for the Chiefs to debut a four tight end set. With just over four minutes remaining in the second quarter, Kelce, Gray, Wiley, and Fortson trotted onto the field on a third down and 22.
ESPN play-by-play announcer Joe Buck couldn’t help but poke fun at the bizarre player personnel, joking: “If you like tight end play, this is your game.” Fortunately for the Chiefs, the ensuing play worked to perfection.
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Moments after taking the snap, quarterback Patrick Mahomes tossed a short pass over the middle to Kelce, who took several steps toward the sideline and pitched a lateral to teammate Samaje Perine. The veteran running back corralled the ball and rumbled downfield for 15 more yards before being dragged out of bounds one yard short of the first down.
Taking to social media, droves of fans made their thoughts known on the unique decision to use four tight ends on a single play. “4 Tight Ends on the field lmaoooooo Andy is just having maximum fun,” one X user wrote, with another adding: “Four tight ends is hilarious lol it’s like hungry hungry hippos running routes.”
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A third noted: “I have a feeling the 4 tight end set may be getting used more with how hurt the WR core is.”
As for Kelce’s lateral, many questioned whether the play was designed or simply improvised in the heat of the moment. As both teams trotted off the field following the final whistle of the first half, Reid revealed that the maneuver was something the Chiefs have routinely rehearsed.
“We do it every day in practice, so I can’t tell you the name of it,” he told ESPN's Lisa Salters.
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