Andy Reid says ESPN's Chris Berman sent him the 90-year-old play that cemented Chiefs' Week 1 blowout of Broncos
Kansas City has run the play before and apparently has "Boomer" to thank.
Kenneth Walker estimated that the film the Kansas City Chiefs watched to prepare for the play that ultimately delivered him his second touchdown and the Denver Broncos a final blow in a 31-10 "Monday Night Football" victory comes from the year 1900.
It actually dates back to 1936, according to Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, who shared postgame that longtime ESPN sportscaster Chris "Boomer" Berman sent it to him.
"We've run it before, just not that smooth," Reid said.
The play took place in the final quarter of the surprisingly lopsided AFC West showdown. Kansas City had the ball on the Broncos' 2-yard line.
Facing first-and-goal, the Chiefs trotted out both Patrick Mahomes and fellow quarterback Justin Fields . They were lined up side-by-side in the backfield, each posing in a three-point stance pre-snap.
The ball was snapped to Mahomes, who veered left with Fields. But instead of pitching the rock to the dual-threat Fields, he shoveled it to Walker.
The reigning Super Bowl MVP ran right, around his offensive line and behind tight end Travis Kelce for the score.
"We worked it over and over in practice, and we felt like that was going to work — and, you know, it did," said Walker, who clocked out with 191 scrimmage yards in his Chiefs debut after spending four seasons with the Seattle Seahawks .
The Chiefs notably ran a variation of the play in a Week 15 road win over the New England Patriots during the 2023 season . That one didn't feature two quarterbacks, though. And Mahomes didn't take the snap. Now-former Chiefs running back Jerick McKinnon did, with Mahomes next to him, and McKinnon popped the ball to wide receiver Rashee Rice .
Rice seemed to bobble it at first before corralling it at his hip while he navigated his way to the end zone.
Mahomes said in the wake of Monday's victory that the play's called "Heisman."
He said offensive line coach Andy Heck ushered the play to the offense but noted, "I'm sure Coach Reid had his imprint as well."
And apparently, if you ask Reid, credit goes to Berman for the inspiration.
Mahomes pointed out that the play could set the stage for more packages with Fields.
"Justin's got a lot of ability, running the ball and throwing the ball as well," Mahomes said. "And, so, hopefully that's just the first iteration of it."
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