Travis Kelce, Jason Kelce react to viral clips of KC Chiefs’ Peter Woods, R Mason Thomas, and Emmett Johnson at rookie minicamp
Three of the Kansas City Chiefs’ newest rookies caught the attention of Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce on the latest New Heights podcast. They broke down clips of Peter Woods, R Mason Thomas, and Emmett Johnson.
Kansas City Chiefs rookie minicamp is in the rearview mirror, but some of the clips are still making the rounds after the latest episode of New Heights.
During the latest episode, Travis Kelce and his brother, Jason Kelce, reacted to some clips from the Chiefs and Eagles rookie minicamps. The teams shared clips from individual drillwork, rather than any of the 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 team drills.
Chiefs DE R Mason Thomas’ jersey number choice puts Jason Kelce on an epic tangent
Things began with Jason asking Travis if he’d seen any of the clips to come out of Chiefs rookie minicamp
“Yeah, man,” Travis said. “I was sitting at the house, so checking the film. I saw a bunch of stuff… some practice footage of some (expletive) madness in rookie camp.”
“Oh my gosh,” Jason exclaimed. “Look at him attack that bag.”
“I can’t (expletive) wait,” Travis said. “Who doesn’t love slow motion football, man.”
“So, that was R Mason Thomas,” Jason said.
“Second-round pick,” Travis said. “He’s an edge rusher.”
“I’m just going to put it out there,” Jason said. “I hate the (jersey) number.”
“34? He wore that in college,” Travis said.
He actually wore No. 32 in college. Jason will be happy to know that Thomas isn’t married to the No. 34 jersey. He didn’t have many options, so he went with something close to his college uniform.
“Well, yeah, good for him,” Jason said. “It probably has some sort of sentimental value, but me as an unbiased media member and someone who knows nothing about this young man, I don’t like it.”
“When do you like numbers?” Travis joked.
“I hate numbers,” Jason realized. “Maybe I do like this guy?”
“I hate numbers, but I could tell that he chose it, which makes me hate it even more,” Jason said.
“A running back of sorts,” Jason said. “Maybe a safety.”
“You ever seen this man tote the football?” Travis asked.
“He’s a running back, too?” Jason asked.
“He’s got a nasty stiff arm,” Travis said.
“I think last year, he messed his hammy up taking a fumble to the house,” Travis said. “And he absolutely dragged a guy the entire way.”
That play came against the Tennessee Volunteers. It was a 71-yard return for a touchdown, which definitely looked more like a running back than an edge rusher.
“Makes sense that he tore his hamstring,” Jason said.
“There’s something about defensive line drills,” Jason said.
“They’re over there working techniques,” Travis said. “But at the end of the day, either you’re gonna move this human being out of your way, or you’re not.”
“Offensive line drills definitely make a difference, and the technique matters a lot,” Jason said. “But then I remember Stefan Wisniewski said to me one time. He’s like, ‘Dude, watching D-linemen, they’re so terrifying doing their drills.’ They’re like, swatting your hands and all that. I just feel like it always looks stupid.”
Peter Woods quickly changes Jason Kelce’s mind on the D-Line drills
“Oh, I like that,” Travis said.
“Not gonna lie,” Jason said. “I like the way this looks. The little burst. Oh my god. He gets fully extended just to get a bag.”
Travis did have some valid critiques of Woods’ finish, though.
“You gotta watch that left arm, though,” Travis said. “That left arm gets a little high right here. The left arm, that’s the head and neck area, Peter. We got to stay away from the head and neck area.”
“He’s going for the ball,” Jason said. “He’s trying to go for the ball.”
“We’ve got to work that technique better,” Travis explained.
“I mean, I like the little burst after this one,” Jason said. “He goes, HYAAAAA!”
“I like it,” Travis said. “I like it, too.”
“99? A little Wayne Gretzky action,” Jason said. “He’s telegraphing it a little bit, but pretty all around fan of that kind of movement.”
“Feet look good to be that big too, man,” Travis said. “I like it nice and quick.”
Chiefs RB Emmett Johnson shows off the quick, light footwork and ‘independent appendage usage’
The Kelce brothers saw Johnson have a 100-yard rushing performance against their Cincinnati Bearcats at Arrowhead Stadium this past fall.
“I think (he) was a fifth-round running back,” Travis said. “One of the best… I think he was the best running back in the Big 10 this year.”
“You saying statistically or actually?” Jason asked.
“Yeah, we saw him,” Travis said. “He went to Nebraska.”
“Just like when you’re watching these drills with the bags, if their head can stay put while they’re moving their legs fast,” Jason explained. “It’s kind of like a golf swing, the more that upper body can remain independent of the lower body. When you’re moving through stuff like this, to me, that’s a plus that shows independent appendage usage.”
“You don’t want arm drive,” Travis asked? “I think if you’re going through that shift fluidly, and you’re getting through it quickly, however, you got to do it.”
“Good point,” Jason said.
“Nice L trigger right there in Madden,” Travis said. “Nice jump cut.”
“He doesn’t look like he’s fighting it,” Jason said. “It doesn’t look like he’s aggressively fighting the turf.”
At the end of the day, it’s not a bad showing from the Chiefs’ rookies in these clips. We won’t know much until the pads come on in July. However, the Kelce brothers are salty veterans and probably could’ve been harsher in their critiques had they wanted to.