KANSAS CITY, Mo. \u2014 Offensive line coach Andy Heck puts together the Chiefs\u2019 run-blocking scheme for each game alongside coach Andy Reid and coordinator Matt Nagy. An NFL left tackle for 12 seasons, Heck shared Friday what he loves most when watching film of the Chiefs succeeding with running plays.<\/p>\n
The first category is the creative run plays in the Chiefs\u2019 playbook. The Chiefs scored their first touchdown of this season using such a play, a play-action end-around to get the ball to speedy rookie receiver Xavier Worthy behind the line of scrimmage against the Baltimore Ravens.<\/p>\n
Worthy, who ran the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine in a record-setting 4.21 seconds, saw a perfect wall of teammates \u2014 receiver Rashee Rice, tight ends Travis Kelce and Noah Gray, center Creed Humphrey and rookie left tackle Kingsley Suamataia \u2014 ready to block in front of him. Showcasing his blazing speed, Worthy sprinted past multiple defenders before reaching the end zone for a 21-yard touchdown on his first touch in an NFL game.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose are a lot of fun, getting our fast guys in space,\u201d Heck said. \u201cThose are highlights. My favorite ones are ones that are barely going to be noticed, where it\u2019s 4 yards and a cloud of dust and I freaking loved it.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Rookie fullback Carson Steele had such a snap in Week 2 against the Cincinnati Bengals, when he jumped over several players on a second-and-1 snap to gain 9 yards.<\/p>\n
A major reason Steele was successful on the play was because of who set the edge at the line of scrimmage \u2014 Kelce, the 12th-year veteran who is a future Hall of Famer because of his elite receiving production. Kelce effectively blocked defensive end Joseph Ossai, never letting the defender touch Steele.<\/p>\n
In fact, Heck acknowledged that Worthy\u2019s rushing touchdown against the Ravens was the byproduct of Kelce, the underrated hero of the highlight. When the play began, Kelce blocked outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy, who fell to his knees and was unable to touch Worthy as he sprinted past him. For good measure, Kelce knocked inside linebacker Roquan Smith to the turf as Worthy entered the end zone.<\/p>\n
https:\/\/twitter.com\/Chiefs\/status\/1831861151694565575<\/p>\n
\u201cHe gives us great effort and he\u2019s one of our most effective blockers,\u201d Heck said of Kelce. \u201cHe\u2019s such an important piece of our passing game that we don\u2019t want to wear him out with that. But when we ask him to do those jobs, he does a great job.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pro Football Focus agrees with Heck as Kelce has earned a higher run-blocking grade (56.6) than Gray (54.4), the Chiefs tight end who is known as much for his blocking as his receiving.<\/p>\n
Five of the Chiefs\u2019 10 rushing touchdowns this season have featured a block from Kelce.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe narrative has always kind of been that I haven\u2019t given (my best blocking),\u201d Kelce said. \u201cI don\u2019t like to play into what everybody else is saying. I\u2019ve always been my own worst critic. I\u2019ve always tried to up the ante in every aspect of my game.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Heck shared that neither he, Reid, nor Nagy made it an offseason emphasis for Kelce to improve his run blocking.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe just wants to win and make sure that we\u2019re doing well offensively,\u201d Reid said of Kelce. \u201cHe\u2019s not selfish. He just wants to be in there and playing. As a result \u2014 if you take the offensive linemen out of the picture \u2014 he\u2019s always one of the top play-per-game guys. He busts his tail during the week, and part of that is the run game. He makes sure that he stays on top of that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kelce\u2019s life changed last season when he began dating pop superstar Taylor Swift. As he followed Swift\u2019s Eras Tour around the world this summer, Kelce brought a team of trainers \u2014 Alex Skacel, Andrew Spruill and Laurence Justin Ng \u2014 with him. European tours and acting gigs aside, Kelce didn\u2019t miss a single Chiefs workout in the offseason, mandatory or voluntary.<\/p>\n
After each practice in training camp, Kelce spent an extra few minutes working on his blocking techniques against a blocking sled.<\/p>\n
\u201cKelce is great at blocking, man,\u201d Gray said. \u201cHe\u2019s always been great at blocking. He\u2019s the dude I learned how to block from. He\u2019s always been a leader in that regard, so he\u2019s always taking pride in it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although it might not be TB12, the training regimen of seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady, many in the Chiefs organization know that Kelce is obsessed with body maintenance.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d be silly to say I was flying around out there like I was in my younger years, for sure,\u201d Kelce said. \u201cI feel like I\u2019m still helping my team win, and that\u2019s all that really matters to me. In terms of my agility and all that, I\u2019m running faster mentally. So I feel like that makes up for it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Even with his blocking success, Kelce still leads the Chiefs in receptions (38), targets (48) and receiving yards (335).<\/p>\n
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He scored his first touchdown of the season last week in the Chiefs\u2019 victory against the Las Vegas Raiders. The game featured a vintage performance from Kelce, who recorded a game-high 10 receptions on 12 targets for 90 yards to help the Chiefs stay undefeated.<\/p>\n
In Week 7, after the Chiefs\u2019 bye week, Kelce\u2019s biggest blocking assignment of the season came against the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers have surrendered just 105.8 rushing yards per game this season, the sixth fewest in the league. In their win over the 49ers, the Chiefs gained 184 rushing yards.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s got to make those big blocks, and I know he\u2019s going to make the play when the ball is thrown to him,\u201d running back Kareem Hunt said of Kelce after that game. \u201cHe\u2019s been doing a good job of finishing. I appreciate that from him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nKareem Hunt finds the end zone!<\/p>\n
\ud83d\udcfa: #KCvsSF<\/a> on FOX
\ud83d\udcf1: https:\/\/t.co\/waVpO8ZBqG<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/7jpgDLmioQ<\/a><\/p>\n— NFL (@NFL) October 20, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n