The Kansas City Chiefs have always been at the forefront of creative play-calling. From touchdown offensive linemen catching touchdown passes, to tight-ends throwing them, they constantly push the limits in any attempt to throw off their opponent.
However, there’s one play-call the Chiefs just couldn’t justify deploying no matter how badly they wanted to, no matter how much they practiced it.
It involved future Hall of Fame defensive lineman Chris Jones throwing a pass to another future Hall of Famer, in tight end Travis Kelce. But, despite drilling it for two weeks, Jones continuously struggled to hit Kelce on the numbers, and the Chiefs decided to scrap it.
In Kelce’s latest episode of “New Heights,” the podcast he records with his brother, former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, the Chiefs tight-end and current offensive coordinator, Matt Nagy, reminisced on the play, which was called “Swingin’ D.”
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“We had (Chris Jones) doing a little throw,” Nagy said. “But, it wasn’t working.”
“It was a throw to me,” Kelce explained, “but every throw was like five yards behind me, at my feet. I was like ‘Coach, I don’t think this is going to work.'”
Nagy and Chiefs head coach Andy Reid agreed, and ultimately decided to move on from “Swingin’ D,” so it never saw game action. Jones has been a Pro-Bowler in each of the last six seasons because of his ability to stuff the run and rush the quarterback, and he might just have to stick to that day job.
“Dude, I love Chris Jones to death,” Kelce said. “I don’t know what it was, but he needs to stay on the defensive side.”
Knowing the Chiefs, though, this could all be a ruse, and while Jones might not have the ability to throw a touchdown, it wouldn’t be surprising if they tried to scheme up a running play or a route for the star defensive lineman. They have never been shy of innovation, or falling on their face while doing so. In fact, it’s been at the foundation of their three Super Bowls over the last six years. So why stop that creativity now?
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