Charvarious Ward bit on Travis Kelce's move up the middle. All that was left was for Mecole Hardman to catch it.
Clearly, when Ward followed Kelce into the end zone, the Chiefs tight end knew Kansas City was likely about to win the Super Bowl. The moment he stepped into the end zone, Kelce could be seen looking up at the Allegiant Stadium jumbotron to watch the play unfold for himself.
Kelce staring at the jumbotron mid-play on the game-winning TD. He knew this was working as soon as Ward went with him. pic.twitter.com/2Ny0P3HBqn
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) February 12, 2024
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Though the Chiefs had favorable coverage, there was still no guarantee the play was going to work out. Hardman had put together a solid game with two catches for 54 yards already, but there was certainly still the risk of an inaccurate throw (admittedly unlikely with Mahomes), a drop by Hardman, or just a general miscommunication.
Hardman had safety Logan Ryan beat on the out route, and with Ward in the end zone ahead of Kelce, there was no one left to stop him once the ball was safely secured in his hands.
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The play is one the Chiefs have turned to before, though now it goes by a different name. It used to be called "Corn Dog," and it was run in 2023 when Mahomes threw a touchdown to Kadarius Toney in the Super Bowl win against the Eagles. Now, Andy Reid and the Chiefs called it the "Tom and Jerry," per NBC Sports' Peter King.
While Kelce might have gotten a jumbotron view of the play, Hardman might not have it saved in his memory.
"I kinda blacked out when I caught the ball. But it feels great," Hardman said after the game.
