The possibility of a fourth-and-15 play in lieu of an onside kick prompted Patrick Mahomes to tweet a smiling emoji with a bead of sweat. That proposal will be voted on by NFL owners next week. If it passes, Chiefs opponents might be sweating but not smiling.
"We've got a guy that can do 4th-and-15s," Kansas City coach Andy Reid said Friday. "He'd give us the opportunity to be able to do that."
Technically, Mahomes hasn't attempted such a play in his three-year career. But he thrived on third-and-15-plus situations last season, completing 12 of 16 passes for 255 yards and three touchdowns. That doesn't include his biggest conversion, a 44-yard completion to Tyreek Hill on third-and-15 in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl to ignite the Chiefs' rally against the 49ers.
NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported Friday the league amended the initial proposal, originally submitted by the Eagles, to no longer require teams to trail while attempting to retain possession. The rule change would grant teams the option of running one play from their own 25-yard line with 15 yards to gain rather than kicking off. There'd be a limit of two fourth-and-15 attempts per game, which opens the door for scoring up to three straight times without your opponent touching the ball.
Reid intimated he'd actually prefer the proposal to be denied.
"I've got kind of mixed thoughts on it," he said. "Being an old guy, I'd probably stick with the integrity of the game as it sits right now, but I can also see where the other part could be exciting too."
Especially, and ironically, for Chiefs fans.
