The last time the Kansas City Chiefs were on the football field they dazzled with a play that was designed in part by starting QB Patrick Mahomes.
When Chiefs HC Andy Reid spoke to the media on Monday, he confirmed that “Ferrari Right” wasn’t the first player-designed play that Kansas City has used and it won’t be the last one they use either. Reid was specifically asked about the trust involved with Mahomes to allow him to design that play and whether he’d brought any more plays to Reid’s attention.
“So far that’s one,” Reid told reporters. “He’s had ideas, we’ve used other players’ ideas and I’m free game. If you got a good one, let’s go. If you got one, bring it on, we’ll take it. I’m easy that way. If they look good, we’ll try it on and see how it works, but I think it’s healthy. I think it’s healthy for guys. They’re thinking football which is important, and you hope that your guys are in the frame of mind to do that.”
The idea behind encouraging and trusting players to develop plays is truly a brilliant one. It gets the team thinking about football on a fundamental level. It’s fostering a love for the game and creativity that maybe wasn’t there with Chiefs teams of old. Consider that Mahomes had to actually seek out guidance from TE coach Tom Melvin on the rules of the pre-snap motion in “Ferrari Right.” That’s a pretty unique thing that you don’t hear about often.
It also gets players personally invested in the offense to have a part in some of these unique plays, whether it’s in the design or just some guys getting an opportunity to get their number called. Think to Mike Remmers who suffered a rib injury in Week 9, he later came back into the game on a play where he’d declared eligible from his right tackle spot. He was coming free as a receiver on the play and forced a hold by a Panthers defender. Everyone is seemingly getting a chance to put their stamp on the offense.
Reid has fostered a culture of football intelligence and creativity in the Kansas City locker room. As a whole, they’re all committed to coming up with new exciting ways to score points each and every week. What’s coming next is still to be determined, but you can bet they’ll have something special in store for the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 11.
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