In a surprise move the Kansas City Chiefs has signed veteran tight end Robert Tonyan to their practice squad ahead of their Christmas day game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. This can no doubt affect tight end Travis Kelce’s role in the team, especially since he has put career-low numbers this season.
The Kansas City Chiefs Recently Signed TE Robert Tonyan. What Does This Mean For Travis Kelce?
Though he has never been among the NFL’s most remarkable tight ends, Tonyan has picked 17 receiving touchdowns in his career, 11 of which were scored in 2020. Although he has been assigned to the practice squad, fans may not see him in action on Wednesday’s game; it’s possible Tonyan will join the active roster in the coming weeks if a player on the depth at the tight end position is injured.
Kelce’s versatility has been quite key for the team especially for the O-Line challenges this season as it has led Kelce to contribute more as a blocker. While it’s true that his receiving stats dipped, his overall performance has been impactful. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin called Kelce “unbelievably unselfish,” as he pointed out his abilities to create winning opportunities for his teammates. Kansas City head coach Andy Reid also weighed in on Tomlin’s assessment.
“I’m not telling you he doesn’t like to play and catch and do all that stuff. He’ll sacrifice for the cause… He’s willing to help out everywhere,” Reid said.
Tonyan played collegiately at Indiana State and stepped into the NFL as a free agent in 2017. During his eight years in the league, Tonyan has signed contracts with every team in the NFC North, from the Packers and Bears to Lions and Vikings.
It’s yet to be seen how Tonyan’s addition can affect Kelce’s role since the former is a reliable red-zone target. The Chiefs will travel to Pittsburgh for the Christmas Day match, which is a move that has been criticised by Patrick Mahomes who has said that playing three games in 11 days can affect the fitness of the team. “It’s not a good feeling,” he said. “You never want to play this amount of games in this short of time. It’s not great for your body. But, at the end of the day, it’s your job, your profession. You have to come to work and do it.”
“All you can do is focus on the game. The practice you have that day. I try to prepare my body all year long for this stretch. That’s tailoring my workouts, tailoring how you practice and prepare. And the coaches do a great job of taking care of us on the practice field. We practice as hard as anybody, but they know how to dial it back when needed,” Mahomes added.
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