Latest News: In 7 Seconds, Kansas City Tight End and Taylor Swift Boyfriend Travis Kelce Taught a Crucial Lesson in Leadership… Read More

Monday’s game against the New Orleans Saints, Kelce may have wanted to run the ball. He didn’t.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce had a pretty good night on Monday. His team beat the New Orleans Saints 26-13. He caught the ball nine times for a total gain of 70 yards, a continued improvement over his performance in the first three weeks of the season. And he threw an unplanned lateral pass to running back Samaje Perine in a play that had the sports world buzzing. That resulted in a gain of 20 yards and a field goal, Two of the people he loves most were in attendance, his brother Jason Kelce, formerly a Philadelphia Eagles center, and now a Monday Night Football commentator, and his girlfriend Taylor Swift.

Then, in the fourth quarter, with just three yards to go to the end zone, Kelce took up the quarterback position in a wildcat formation and caught the snap. He handed the ball off to wide receiver Xavier Worthy who made the touchdown, executed a barrel roll in the end zone, and then kept right on running to his mother in the stands so he could toss her the ball. From snap to touchdown took about 7 seconds, and those seconds are a lesson for any entrepreneur or business leader.

Run the ball, or hand it off?
It was a great game for the Chiefs, and 7 seconds of glory for the rookie Worthy. But it may have been bittersweet for Kelce. He has yet to score a touchdown himself this season, something he says makes the difference between a good game and a great one for him. And, especially with the end zone so tantalizingly close, he must have been tempted to run the ball himself.

At least that’s what Jason Kelce thought while watching him. “I could tell you wanted to keep that bitch,” Jason told Travis on this week’s episode of New Heights, their co-hosted podcast. “You dragged that read out as long as possible. (A read is the moment of decision between passing the ball and running with it.)

Travis responded that he stretched the read out in part to fool the Saints’ defense, especially since defensive players in general are becoming more attuned to these types of plays. But, he added, “At the end of the day, if it’s cloudy, give it to the fastest guy on the team.”

Xavier Worthy’s amazing speed.
There’s a lot of wisdom contained in that simple comment. Even though he turned 35 last week, Kelce himself is still pretty fast. Last season he used that speed to make touchdowns and other successful plays. But Worthy is on a whole other level. He ran the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine in a record-setting 4.21 seconds. He
is definitely the fastest guy on the Chiefs, perhaps on any team. His ability to outrun defenders has already earned him two touchdowns this season against the Baltimore Ravens.

So when Kelce handed him the ball, he knew Worthy could outrun the Saints defensive players. Not only that, he could also run between them. “He has this crazy ability,” Kelce said. “He’s already skinny, but he just slithers through. He slithered his way in on that one.”

Kelce, like any really good leader, knows that there are times when you should stand in the spotlight, and other times when it’s best for your organization to train that spotlight on someone else and take pleasure in making them shine. That’s what he did for Worthy. “Xavier’s been killing it, man,” Kelce said. “I absolutely love watching him play. I love playing with him on the field.”

Next time there’s an opportunity for your company to have a big win, ask yourself whether it’s better overall for you to go after it, or if you should hand it off to a member of your team and give them a chance to make their mark. Doing that might make your whole organization stronger. And, just like Kelce, you’ll have other opportunities later on.