Travis Kelce may have experienced a slow start to the 2024 NFL season, but it looks like Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes still have to credit the tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs‘ offensive production this year. Or at least that’s what Matt Nagy suggests.
According to the Chiefs offensive coordinator, Kelce has played a pivotal role in the development of wide receiver Rashee Rice, who’s become the team’s biggest weapon in his second year in the NFL.
“Just a lot of things. A lot of good teaching points that Travis has done over the years that is invaluable,” Nagy told reporters on Friday, via Sports Illustrated. “It’s great when we’re teaching them as coaches and we give them our insight, but when the guy that’s doing it for a bunch of years, like Trav is, and making it work the way he does, when you’re a player and you hear that come from another player that’s had success, I think it means a lot. So, watching him now take that into account and do what he’s doing from Week 1 until now has been really cool.“
Rice was the only bright spot from the Chiefs‘ 2023 wide receivers, trailing just Kelce in the most important stats among pass catchers last season. This year, the tables have turned as the 24-year-old is leading the team in targets, catches, receiving yards, and touchdowns.
Rashee Rice #4 of the Kansas City Chiefs reacts with Travis Kelce #87 after scoring a touchdown during the second half of the game against the Buffalo Bills at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on December 10, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri.
Nagy, however, believes Kelce deserves credit for allowing Reid and Mahomes to find a reliable weapon in Rice: “During our special teams periods, Travis would pull him over, and they’d talk through things. I think he understood it, but he didn’t know how to do it. Now he’s seeing it a year [later] — and now he knows how to do it.”
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Reid echoes Nagy’s sentiment on Kelce
While Nagy’s comments are certainly eye-opening, it appears that Reid was already aware of Kelce’s role in Rice’s development. Speaking to the press on Wednesday, the Chiefs head coach praised the wideout for listening to Mahomes and Kelce.
“He’s as good as we were hoping he would be,” Reid said of Rice. “The thing you don’t know when you get into this is the work ethic — and he works his tail off. [He has a] willingness to get with Pat — and to listen to, ‘Let’s work in this area’ or to get with Kelce and drain Kelce of some of his knowledge. He’s very receptive to all of that.”
Rice also credits Kelce
Rice also made sure to publicly credit Kelce for his growth. According to the wide receiver, the veteran tight end has helped him with predicting plays to become a key weapon for Mahomes.
“[I was] just learning certain routes and [becoming] able to predict certain looks that are going to come before the ball is even snapped,” Rice said. “I’m getting real comfortable with that part. I’m not going to say exactly when I feel like I’m going to get the ball — [but] there are certain looks where I know that a linebacker may stay inside of Trav [or] a nickel or safety will play over the top of Trav. [That] will just leave the middle of the field open for me — one-on-one with the nickel or any other defender out there.”
