Having a tight end as the No. 1 receiver certainly makes the Kansas City Chiefs offense unique – but that’s mainly due to All-Pro Travis Kelce also unique. He can line up as a slot receiver to play those tracks. He can also line up on the outside, where he can beat any cornerback who tries to confuse or pressure him at the line of scrimmage.
When Kelsey fills those unusual roles, the Kansas City offense still has a tight end on the field. Coach Andy Reid’s scheme still has its roots in the West Coast offense, which highly values the center. In any successful one-back running game, the included tight ends are a very important component—and because they see favorable coverage endorsements, they’re the X-factor in the passing game, too.
During the Kelce era, the Chiefs struggled to find tight ends who could complement their star player’s use of the passing game. But in the past two seasons, both Noah Gray and Jodi Fortson have become legitimate contributors.
Let’s take a look at what makes them important in the Kansas City offense:
Opportunity maximization
In 2022, the Chiefs increase the number of lineups including two or more tight ends. ashen She was on the court for 52% of her offensive snaps. In 2021, Blake Bell gets the Second-highest snapback rate for a tight end: 27%.
This does not mean that they passed the ball any less. In the year 2022 Mahomes Only 10 attempts less than in 2021. The tight ends were simply getting a bigger piece of the pie. There were 201 goals for tight ends last season, which is up from 157 the year before.
In 2022, Gray 28 catches for 299 yards and a touchdown. This is the most productive season for a Kansas City minor league tight end since then Demetrius Harris had 12 receptions for 164 yards and three scores In 2018. Until the 2022 season at Fortune – Nine catches, 108 yards, and two touchdowns – Represents a much larger output than the team behind Keleche have had over the past three years.
the # heads Crank up passes from 12 and 13 singles last season. This puts Gray & Fortson in a position to play the crosshairs, verticals, and deep curls that are staples of any of KC’s passing concepts.
Both are implemented in these situations and maximize their chances pic.twitter.com/htXLCAh2Rm
—Ron Kopp Jr. (Ron_Kopp) July 10, 2023
This increased focus on tight ends in the passing game doesn’t mean the Chiefs changed the way they called their passes. On longer-growing, deciduous versions, they still strive for success in crossing patterns, deep curls, or vertical picks—whether above the seam or sideline.
Both Gray and Fortune are capable of running these ways – which is why we succeed. Instead of running a passer-by-style wide receiver into prepared defensive personnel, the Chiefs could come up with a running appearance that featured multiple tight ends. Defenses responded more often with heavier personnel – giving Kansas City tight ends favorable games.
You could see 15 and Noah Gray built some chemistry last year. These two completions appear outside that schedule
Gray actively finds open space on both plays after his initial run in bottom field is covered
Gray knows Mahomes will throw his body if it means converting a third down OT pic.twitter.com/Aej2uUCkdy
—Ron Kopp Jr. (Ron_Kopp) July 10, 2023
Since he was on the field so often, Gray appeared on these passing plays more often than Fortson. This helped him build experience.
You can see this experience as quarterback Patrick Mahomes connects these two passes. Both are thrown after covering the initial path, but Gray finds an open space. On the first play — the third in overtime — Gray knows Mahomes is able (and willing) to throw through his body 30 yards downfield for the first time.
individual roles
Gray’s and Fortune’s talents have generally elevated the position group’s performance – but in a given game, they can each directly influence offense in different ways.
Jodi Fortson only had 9 catches in 2022; 11 # heads The players had more receptions. His presence on the RZ was his greatest contribution to the unit
His frame gives the 15 confidence to throw at him, but he can also harness his WR skills from college when he’s isolated on the outside. pic.twitter.com/yJXERS7iKM
—Ron Kopp Jr. (Ron_Kopp) July 9, 2023
Fortune’s tall and massive tire could be an asset in the red.
In this play vs Arizona CardinalsHowever, Kansas City took advantage of the men’s coverage, as the Cardinal defense was forced to play in the red zone, leaving Fortson one-on-one with a fullback. Mahomes trusted him to go get the ball.
The second play shows a different kind of score: a slash where Fortson is too big and strong for the cornerback to disrupt an incoming pass. Knowing that Fortson can keep defenders out in tight spaces over the middle of the field, the Chiefs also use him in this manner outside the red zone.
A nice quality of Noah Gray is that he tends to maximize his YAC chances when he gets them
He has good acceleration, going downhill, but he can make a small move when he needs to pic.twitter.com/nadrxaga8z
—Ron Kopp Jr. (Ron_Kopp) July 10, 2023
Meanwhile, Gray has proven to be a reliable screening option. He’s athletic enough to get the most out of a simple offload or throw to the flat—and since his rookie season, he’s improved his pass-catching ability: He had three drops on 14 goals in 2021, but just one point on 37 goals in 2022.
Less known effects
the # heads Fortson has rarely been used outside of the RZ, but one specific play created two big moments
These wheel tracks give the long-legged Fortune a full head of steam right up to the sideline. 1 is a nice feat, and the other unlocks the MOF for this *scramble pic.twitter.com/coXSjrkPDP
—Ron Kopp Jr. (Ron_Kopp) July 9, 2023
against the Los Angeles Chargers In Week 11 of last season, a pre-snap move sent Fortson through the formation with a solid start to the sideline. The play gained 40 yards, which resulted in a touchdown.
A few months later, the chiefs used the same play to publish Philadelphia Eaglespass defense, opening up a pass for Mahomes to block 26 yards to set up a power– Indulgent score.
With the powerful kick these moves give him, Fortson’s long strides become dangerous. They can put a lot of pressure on a defense that is ready to defend an intense and heavier formation.
Such actors support Noah Gray as the de facto linebacker in the # heads 21p running gm
1. Turn on the counter. The playside tracks LB, attacking inside the shoulder with a wide base and tucked hand to close the pass. strong ends
2. Split the area, but the technique and the bob can translate into an energy release pic.twitter.com/S8JPsSxkrj
—Ron Kopp Jr. (Ron_Kopp) July 9, 2023
Heading into training camp, the Chiefs have not yet signed a linebacker to replace Michael Burton – so Gray may have another role to fill.
But as we can see here, Gray has experience doing some of the blocks that linebackers have done on the Kansas City offense. On the first play, Gray leads the linebacker through the hole by grabbing the linebacker to the side of the play and dumping him. The next play shows him using fine technique to flush out a rim defender—a block a linebacker would make on a traditional Power run.