Travis Kelce-LeSean McCoy hook-and-ladder play was unplanned

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said tight end Travis Kelce “had a look in his eye.” Mahomes just knew something was going to happen.

On the first play of the fourth quarter facing second-and-12, Mahomes rolled out slightly to his right and threw an across-the-body jump pass to tight end Travis Kelce. Kelce was beyond the first-down marker and secured the football but was blanketed by Lions safety Tracy Walker.

Seeing running back LeSean McCoy trailing, Kelce didn’t think.

He lateraled to McCoy before Walker could take him to the ground.

“(I’m) just out there making plays, man,” said Kelce, who led the team with 85 receiving yards, said after the game. “That’s all I can really tell you. I saw it was Shady (McCoy) behind me. I knew Shady would at least catch it. I had faith in him to at least catch it. What he does with it or whatever is behind me – let that be. I was just out there trying to make a play. Pat is not the only guy to have a little magic to him, you know what I’m saying? I have some tricks out the hat.”

It was the perfect toss, and McCoy took it for another 13 yards—a 23-yard gain and first down between the two of them.

“We work on this play all the time,” McCoy joked. “No, that was just him being a ballplayer, which is crazy. It was a play that I thought Pat was scrambling. So, I tried to go to make a play. He threw it, I reached and I missed and I see Kelce catch it, and then I see him throw it to me.

“I mean, it’s the Chiefs, come on man, we do things like that.”

The Chiefs claimed they had never practiced the impromptu hook-and-ladder.

“It’s never crossed my mind to do that except for right there, to be honest,” Kelce said. “Maybe a couple times previously, you watch a play and are like, ‘Oh man, if I just hooked it, pitched it to him, we would’ve had a huge play.’ Hats off for Shady for being ready and making a play, and Pat for improvising to jump it off.”

Andy Reid liked it — probably only because it worked — and eventually led to a 1-yard touchdown on the drive.

“Yeah, we worked on that quite a little bit,” Reid joked. “I’ll take full credit for that one.”