(Video) Travis Kelce delivers perfect lateral to Samaje Perine on Chiefs’ crucial 3rd-and-22 play against Saints

Just before half-time at Arrowhead against the Saints, Travis Kelce connected with Samaje Perine with a brilliant lateral.

(Video) Travis Kelce delivers perfect lateral to Samaje Perine on Chiefs’ crucial 3rd-and-22 play against Saints

Travis Kelce lateral to Samaje Perine (Image via IMAGO/ X)

Whatever Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce discussed before the Chiefs tie against the Saints on Monday night, it worked. The two players flawlessly connected with a brilliant lateral in the first half.

With just over three minutes remaining until halftime, the Chiefs led 7-10 after scores from Kareem Hunt and Harrison Butker, with Saints quarterback Derek Carr throwing one touchdown and one interception in between.

YouTube video

On 3rd & 22 during the 11th play of the drive, Mahomes threw a short pass to Travis Kelce, who gained a few yards. However, the Saints’ defenders quickly closed the gap on the all-pro tight end, but he had a trick up his sleeves.

FS Video

Kelce quickly dispersed the ball to running back Samaje Perine, who was in place of Hunt near the Saints dugout. Perine carried the ball an extra 10 yards and went out of bounds near the 25.

The drive ended with a Butker field goal from 34 yards. Just before the break, he added another one from 28 to increase the lead for the Chiefs to 7-16.

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During the halftime break, reporters asked Chiefs head coach Andy Reid whether the Travis Kelce lateral was a designed play.

You do it every day in practice, so I can’t tell you the name of it.

Andy Reid replied

Travis Kelce loves his laterals

This wasn’t the first occasion Kelce had whipped something out of his box of tricks. He has attempted and successfully completed laterals a few times in his NFL career, but none more famous than the one in last season’s AFC divisional round fixture against the Buffalo Bills.

(Video) Travis Kelce delivers perfect lateral to Samaje Perine on Chiefs' crucial 3rd-and-22 play against Saints
Travis Kelce (Image via IMAGO)

It was a brilliant move from Kelce, as the Chiefs badly required a spark to break the stingy Bills’ defense down. He found wide receiver Kadarius Toney (currently a free agent) by using the same method. However, the reason for this particular moment being an NFL reel is due to the controversy surrounding it.

Toney grabbed the ball and gained ample yards, but it was chalked off because the officials said he was offside during the snap. So, even though Taylor Swift was shocked but overjoyed by the move, the decision by the officials nullified the end result, and Mahomes had to re-snap the ball.

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Kelce later revealed that, unlike this Monday, the lateral to Toney wasn’t premeditated. So, he and Mahomes spontaneously agreed to go through with it and almost made it count. The Chiefs eventually won the game and later the Super Bowl, so ref’s decision did not hurt much in the long run.