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After enduring a week of criticism for not calling a quarterback sneak, Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid finally gave his detractors what they wanted on Sunday. The play didn't go as planned, and Reid made sure to remind the media of their requests.
Early in the Chiefs' victory over the New York Jets, backup quarterback Justin Fields attempted a sneak and fumbled the ball. Following the game, Reid couldn't resist taking a lighthearted swipe at the reporters who had been clamoring for the play all week.
The Sneak Controversy
The debate ignited after Kansas City's 28-24 loss to the Denver Broncos the previous Sunday. The Chiefs appeared to score a game-winning touchdown from the 1-yard line, but a false start on right tackle Jaylon Moore negated it, and Patrick Mahomes was sacked on the final play. The penalty drew complaints, though even Travis Kelce later acknowledged it was the correct call. Many fans and analysts were also frustrated that the Chiefs never seem to utilize a quarterback sneak in such situations. Mahomes hasn't run a sneak since dislocating his kneecap on the play in October 2019, leading to intense scrutiny of Reid's refusal to call it.
'You Guys Asked for It'
On Sunday, the Chiefs faced a 3rd-and-1 on their first offensive drive against the Jets. Reid sent in Fields for a quarterback sneak, but he was stopped short and ruled to have lost a fumble after the Jets challenged the play. Some fans joked that Reid called the failed sneak on purpose to demonstrate why he avoids it. After the game, Reid took a shot at the reporters who had pushed for it.
"You guys asked for it," Reid said, via Awful Announcing. "So we gave it to you, and you know, it didn't work. How'd you feel?" Reid and the reporters in the room shared a laugh. But once the laughter subsided, Reid explained why the play can be difficult to execute.
"Yeah, so listen, we've got to make sure, those are hard to practice live," Reid said. "The quarterback sneak is hard to practice, unless you do it in a game. We've just to get those two on the same page on it and make sure we get the ball up first in the quarterback's hands, and we can roll from there."
The Chiefs didn't need the sneak in the end, defeating the Jets 35-12 to improve to 6-2. So the playful moment with the media was just that, as it ultimately had little impact on the outcome.
Originally reported by yahoo.