He was the only Chiefs receiver with multiple targets to catch every pass that came his way, with three receptions on three targets for 37 yards. That was the third-most receiving yards for Kansas City behind Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy. Each of his receptions went for over 10 yards, with two of them picking up first downs along the way. One got the Chiefs into closer field goal range for Harrison Butker, another set up Isiah Pacheco's one-yard touchdown run, and the final reception kept the drive moving on Xavier Worthy's second touchdown.
Speaking of Worthy, his first-ever NFL touchdown wouldn't have happened without Gray's lead-block to create a lane.
Brett Veach said they were planning to feature Gray a bit more in the passing game, and that seems accurate after just one game. Though, his 15 snaps on special teams were the second most from an offensive player. I imagine that changes once Peyton Hendershot suits up for a game.
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes on what makes Noah Gray a great player
Gray's performance in Week 1 didn't go unnoticed by Mahomes, who knows exactly what the 25-year-old tight end is worth to the franchise as they pursue their third consecutive Super Bowl title.
“Noah’s (Gray) always been a great player," Mahomes said. "I mean, he makes plays every time he gets the opportunity to. He’s playing behind the greatest tight end of all time (Travis Kelce) so he doesn’t necessarily get every single route called to him but when you go to him, he makes the play. (He had) a couple great catches today – tough, contested catches. (I’m) happy for him, he’s one of those guys in the locker room that does whatever you need. He’ll play special teams, he’ll block (and) he’ll catch the football. (He’s one of) the guys that you need to in order to go out there and win Super Bowls.”
Consistency and success in multiple phases of the game are why Gray is in Kansas City long-term. He's the "lunch-pail" guy that you hear about all the time in the NFL. It doesn't matter if he's catching passes, blocking, or playing on special teams. He's going to strap on his pads, lace up his cleats, and do whatever is asked of him in a given game.
