Chiefs Tender Fan-Favorite Skill Player: Report

Getty Tight end Jody Fortson of the Kansas City Chiefs runs with the football after a reception against the Arizona Cardinals during the second half of the NFL preseason game at State Farm Stadium.

Two days into the NFL’s legal tampering period, the Kansas City Chiefs have been relatively quiet in terms of signing talent outside the organization. However, they’ve been more active in re-signing some of their own players, and that continued late in the evening on Tuesday, March 15.

The Chiefs are tendering exclusive rights free agent tight end Jody Fortson, according to Herbie Teope of the Kansas City Star.

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Fortson becomes the third Chiefs free agent of any fashion to be retained by the team since the beginning of the offseason. During the weekend before the legal tampering period began, Kansas City also tendered exclusive rights free agent cornerback Deandre Baker, per Teope. Then on Day 1 of the legal tampering period on Monday, March 14, the Chiefs re-signed fullback Michael Burton to a one-year deal. according to Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network.

The lone signing outside the organization that the Chiefs have made through March 15 was former Houston Texans safety Justin Reid, who they inked a three-year, $31 million deal on March 14, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.


Fortson’s 2021 Season Halted in Week 6

During the third quarter of the Chiefs’ 31-13 win over the Washington Football Team in Week 6, Fortson hit the ground in visible pain after having suffered a non-contact injury.

Off the bat, the injury did not look good based on the reaction of his teammates and the look of expression on Fortson’s face as he was carted to the locker room. Several minutes later the team ruled Fortson out with an Achilles injury. After the game, head coach Andy Reid confirmed the alleged diagnosis.

“Jody Fortson tore his Achilles,” Reid said.

Fortson’s injury put an end to a cinderella-like story during the 2021 season. He entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2019. His first and only stop in the NFL has been with the Chiefs, where he’s been signed, released, and then re-signed to the practice squad every season leading up to 2021.


Fortson’s Position Change Revitalized Career

The biggest reason for Fortson making Kansas City’s active roster in 2021: a position change. Last offseason, he made the transition from wide receiver to tight end, and while it was a bumpy road at first, the position change has worked in his favor and has the organization on Fortson’s side.

“Guys like that, it’s easy to kind of feel sorry for yourself and just want to go start fresh somewhere else, but the kid came back to training camp with just a completely different mindset,” general manager Brett Veach said of Fortson on September 1.

“It was like he had just wiped the slate clean and wants to attack this thing and get after it. You guys heard him mention about getting with [Dave] Toub and finding out how he can get better at teams. So, it was really an awesome story to see him get his position moved, struggle, but just continue to work and just put the blinders on and not listen to the outside noise.”

Despite being one of four tight ends on the active roster this season, Fortson was still utilized by offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and found a lot of success over the first five weeks of the regular season. He had four catches for 20 yards and two touchdowns heading into Week 6, per Pro Football Reference. Early in the first quarter against Washington, Fortson had an incredible catch over a defensive back for 27 yards that will likely find its way onto SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays.

With Fortson being tendered by Kansas City, chances are he will remain with the Chiefs for the 2022 season. That means he will join a depth chart that includes Travis Kelce and Noah Gray.  Blake Bell, who signed a one-year deal with the Chiefs in 2021, is an unrestricted free agent.

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