Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes wowed numerous NFL analysts with his pinpoint 40-yard completion to tight end Jody Fortson during Sunday night’s win over the Los Angeles Chargers.
After film review, Chiefs coach Andy Reid said he was plenty impressed as well.
“That was a thing of beauty,” Reid said. “Great throw, great catch. Jody was rolling.”
It came at a critical moment too.
Mahomes dropped the ball into Fortson’s hands on a second-and-15 to start the second quarter. That set up a four-yard Travis Kelce touchdown catch on the next play.
Many national observers were left awed by the ball placement. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell called the pass “unreal,” while ESPN’s Mina Kimes described it as “bonkers.”
NFL Next Gen Stats, according to Kimes, gave the throw a 30.2% completion probability.
Reid, however, also highlighted Fortson’s contributions on the play as the Chiefs’ 6-foot-4, 226-pound tight end.
“I mean, he was full stride — and he has some very long strides,” Reid said. “And he was full throttle there.”
According to the advanced box score at rbsdm.com, the Mahomes-Fortson play provided the Chiefs with 4.1 expected points — the top positive play for the offense.
Reid said he admired both ends of the connection that made the highlight-reel pass possible.
And that included Fortson’s role on the play.
“To be able to go down and get that the way he did … it was beautiful,” Reid said. “That’s a big-time play by him, big-time throw by Patrick.”