Arrowhead Pride
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Robert Tonyan is battling for the team’s third tight end spot — and according to offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, the early returns on his chemistry with quarterback Patrick Mahomes have been encouraging.
“You saw today he had an excellent catch, [where] he turned his head and ran a little bit of a corner angle route and made a great snag,” he told reporters after Tuesday’s training camp practice at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph. “And I think there’s a lot of trust building right now between him and Pat. He’s a smart kid. He does a lot of things the right way. You can tell he’s been in this league a little bit — and he has that experience factor to help out these young guys, too.”
For Tonyan, this camp has been a crash course in what it means to play for head coach Andy Reid — especially in St. Joseph’s sticky Missouri heat. On Tuesday afternoon, the team ran one of Reid’s infamous “long drive drills” under the brutal summer sun.
While Tonyan had heard about them from fellow tight ends Travis Kelce and Noah Gray, actually experiencing it is quite another thing.
“We did a little bit of it in OTAs,” he recalled, “and that was cool. We had the pads off. But when you get in the St. Joe heat and you get rolling and you’re actually out there for 10 straight plays? You feel it. You’re not going to feel anything more game-like than that long drive drill.”
To make the initial 53-man roster on August 27, Tonyan knows he needs to prove himself to the coaching staff.
“You’re not going to make every play,” he acknowledged, “but you’ve got to learn quick — and not make the same mistake twice. So I think I’m doing a good job — [even] if I make a full-speed mistake. Just [on the] next play, try to make a play to get the momentum going in a positive way.”
But at least he gets to learn from the best tight end in NFL history: Kelce. Watching his tape doesn’t compare to working with him.
“You see his film and you don’t really get it,” he explained. “[But] then you get to ask him questions — and then you see where his mind is at. It’s awesome. Learning from him and Noah? They’re both two great players.”
There’s plenty to learn. Tonyan is now on his third offense after spending his first five seasons with the Green Bay Packers. His biggest focus is now on learning the details.
“I’ve got to learn spatial awareness,” he said, “[knowing] where everyone’s going to be, why we’re doing it — and [Mahomes] anticipating defenses.”
Tonyan has found it amazing to watch the two-time MVP command the offense firsthand.
“It’s kind of funny,” he remarked, remembering his time with quarterback Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay. “You just see Pat getting better every day as well. Like...
