Was Jody Fortson’s Preseason Showcase a Sign of Things to Come?
At this point, perhaps it’s time to sign a petition to get the Washington Commanders into the AFC West. If there’s one Kansas City Chiefs player we can almost guarantee to be ready for the matchup, Saturday’s game proved that his name is Jody Fortson.
Nearly one year after having the best game of his career against the burgundy-and-gold, Fortson doubled down during the preseason’s second week — once again showcasing his inane, almost magnet-like ability to adjust and make plays in the red zone.
Within the 24-14 win, Fortson (without saying a word) reiterated what his fans have already come to know: it doesn’t take a hefty snap count to put a hurting on a defense. In just 29 offensive snaps, Fortson gobbled up five targets — including two in the red zone — which he turned into two receptions for two touchdowns.
To the reader: by this point, it’s likely everyone’s thinking the same thing. If given a clean bill of health in 2022-23, is it merely inevitable that Fortson elevates his game to the level of a game changer with even more opportunities?
For his efforts, Fortson got a public endorsement from Patrick Mahomes during his press conference. That can’t be understated, particularly in a season in which the Chiefs both set a record for roster turnover at the wide receiver position this offseason yet didn’t make a ton of high-profile moves in the 2022 NFL Draft to address it. As the Pro Bowl signal caller said it at the postgame presser:
They actually played it really well. But I think what you’ve seen with Jody is, when he’s one-on-one, and he has a guy behind him, you can kind of give him that chance, and I’ve kind of built that trust with him now, and I think you saw it two times today where he wasn’t necessarily open, but when you have a big guy who can catch the ball and make those physical, tough catches, you give him a chance, and he makes me look good.
Here’s the actual play that Mahomes is referring to. Fittingly, it puts some of Fortson’s premier traits on tape — everything from his field awareness to make the tight catch while remaining inbounds to the raw physicality at the catch point. Notice the little arm wave as he’s close to running out of real estate along that left sideline; he trusts himself in those situations, though equally important, he has an elite thrower who trusts him as well.
A few weeks ago, it seemed that Fortson’s situation was teetering again on uncertainty after his quad injury. With his exclamation point-type performance on Saturday, one could say that his role now feels closer to being solidified. Both expectation and prediction suggest that four tight ends should make the 53-man roster and with his receiving chops, Fortson should be the ideal player to play in the red zone opposite Travis Kelce, something the Chiefs have had trouble with since Demetrius Harris’s departure in 2018.
Not that it’s anything new, by the way; the Chiefs’ 14-personnel (1 RB, 4 TE) package — “T-Rex,” as the Chiefs call it — has done them well. Kelce himself alluded to it in early September of last season and, Per Sharp Football Analysis, only five teams across the NFL ran 13-personnel more often than the Chiefs did. Given those success rates, it’s worth investing in.
Here’s an excellent example of something similar, with the Chiefs in 13-personnel. A neat play design has Kelce and Fortson opposite one another, running identical in-breaking routes, forcing Nasir Adderley to pick between the two. (This part of Kelce’s game is incredibly underrated.)
From there, Mahomes puts it up to where only Fortson’s 6-foot-6 frame can attack it, and football essentially becomes basketball. Under Andy Reid and Eric Bieniemy, those pick-your-poison plays will always be there.
For a play like that to prove successful, you need multiple tight ends with serviceable-to-elite speed who aren’t afraid of the moment. In a short time, Fortson’s proven he can be that guy. His initial “arrival” in the NFL, to this point, lasted all of 54 offensive snaps. That seemed to be all it took to ensure the Chiefs’ faith; they rewarded him with an exclusive rights tender in March and then stood pat and watched as 19 tight end prospects were taken in the draft.
The raw numbers from Fortson’s regular season (five catches, 47 yards and two scores) won’t overwhelm. Though, for anyone that survived the first six weeks of last season watching the Artists Formerly Known as the Kansas City Chiefs, it was evident even within overall struggle that Fortson was finding his way. The burgeoning week-to-week snap counts back that up, with them reaching double-digits in each of the final three weeks prior to his Achilles injury.
Thinking long-term, there’s also the potential for Fortson to uncover more snaps by merely not being a liability as a pass blocker. In the truncated sample size, he sported a 78.8 PFF offensive grade. His 85.8 run blocking number was the best of the bunch. As a reminder: this is from a player who admitted he forgot what a three-point stance was and went 13 consecutive years without playing the tight end position.
Fortson’s best could be yet to come. Despite where analysts are projecting them to rank this year, the Chiefs have made it clear (both verbally and nonverbally) that they plan on remaining an offensive powerhouse. Owners of the NFL’s most touchdowns over the last five seasons (277), the pressure to maintain that stature will be there in 2022-23.
Thankfully, Fortson has gone on record in saying that something about the red makes him “feel alive.” And last time anyone checked, the Chiefs’ red zone is, in fact, red — which means the up-and-coming tight end will have plenty to live for this season.
