After leading the Kansas City Chiefs to back-to-back Super Bowl wins in the last two years, Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid are upping the ante for the 2024 NFL season by setting their sights on an unprecedented three-peat.
Fortunately, the quarterback and head coach are not alone on this mission. The Chiefs‘ front office stayed busy in the offseason making important moves to keep a competitive team at Arrowhead, but not only by making notable additions.
Kansas City understands the importance of depth to succeed, which is why general manager Brett Veach also made sure to pay some players who might go under the radar. One of them was tight end Noah Gray, whom Mahomes and Reid seem to believe is underrated outside Arrowhead.
“It’s just an absolute blessing. Just super grateful that I’m back here for the foreseeable future,” Gray said Friday about his contract extension with the Chiefs. “I’m extremely grateful; I can’t thank God enough, I can’t thank Clark Hunt and the Hunt family enough, this organization, front office, coaches, teammates, just really everybody I’ve been fortunate enough to be in contact with these past three years (and) play with.”
And the 25-year-old made it clear to Reid and all the Chiefs coaches he’s willing to do whatever they ask from him: “I mean, I’m just out here having fun with my boys; whatever my coaches need me to do, I’m willing to do it. I give huge credit to Coach (Dave) Toub over the past three years, putting me in positions to be successful, Coach Tom (Melvin), and all the other coaches we have. Whatever they need me to do is what I do, and I have a ton of fun doing it.”
Noah Gray’s new contract with the Chiefs
Shortly before the 2024 NFL season opener against the Baltimore Ravens, the Chiefs handed Gray a three-year, $18 million extension to keep him at Arrowhead for the foreseeable.
Selected by Kansas City with the 162nd overall pick in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, the Duke product was entering the final season of his rookie contract before he got a new deal.
Even though Gray has been the Chiefs’ second tight end on the depth chart behind veteran star Travis Kelce, his role on the franchise, especially on special teams, hasn’t gone unnoticed by Reid and Mahomes.
Andy Reid considers Gray an important part of Chiefs
“He’s a good football player and he does a lot for us,” Reid said after Gray’s extension. “He’s one of those guys that doesn’t get a whole lot of credit for all that he does, but [he’s a] big-time special teams player, great tight end.“
In three seasons at Arrowhead, Gray boasts 63 catches for 640 yards and four touchdowns for the Chiefs. Reid knows Gray may not get the credit he deserves outside the building, but the coach makes sure that he does within the team.
“We do a bunch of double-tight stuff, plus he’s able to go in a spot (Travis) Kelce,” Reid added. “He comes out of games with quite a few snaps because of the special teams. He’s a four-phase guy there and can do anything Dave (Toub) needs him to do there, and is willing. And he loves being here. A great guy on top of all that.”
Patrick Mahomes agrees with Reid on Gray’s importance for the Chiefs
“He’s just a smart player,” Mahomes said of Gray. “Extremely smart player that does a lot of physical stuff that we need in this offense. He’s able to get himself open, he makes the catches whenever he’s asked to do it, but a guy who can just do it all. You need those guys in order to win football games.“
Even if Kelce remains one of Mahomes’ biggest weapons, the Chiefs quarterback made it clear he completely believes in Gray’s ability to make things happen on the field as well.
“He’s one of those guys that can come in for Travis in spots and I have full confidence that he can go out there and make plays happen as well,” Mahomes said. “He’s learned a ton behind Trav, and you can see him getting better and better each and every year. I was happy for him because he’s one of those guys that does it the right way and deserves the contract he got.”