The Kansas City Chiefs had a late surge in their 20-17 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, only needing to recover an onside kick to put together yet another magical late comeback. Unfortunately, this wasn't to be as Kansas City executed the play poorly, with A.J. Brown recovering the kick to give Philadelphia the ball and the ability to run out the rest of the clock.
This is where Kansas City fans will be quick to point out that the Chiefs would've never needed this play in the first place had Travis Kelce not caused an interception and the offense had gotten off to a quicker start. Regardless of where the blame should be cast, there is no turning back the clock in the NFL. As a result, special teams coordinator Dave Toub was quick to jump on the sword and accept all criticism.
A to Z Sports' Charles Goldman reported that Toub offered the following sentiment about the failed play: "Butker has probably 20 different kicks that he can do well. . . The one in the game, I'll take the blame on that. . . I feel like the guys ran up the field straight instead of chasing the ball."
Chiefs' Special Teams Coordinator Dave Toub Takes Blame for Onside Kick Failure
It is far from a hot take to point out that on any attempted onside kick, the goal is to chase the football. The Chiefs appeared a step slow and didn't react at the speed needed to give themselves a chance. However, even if the rep was run perfectly, Brown was in the exact right spot and played the ball well. There is a reason it has become a dying play that now must be announced before being attempted.
The takeaway here isn't the failure of Butker or the special teams unit, but a coach who is more than willing to shoulder the blame for the shortcomings of his players. Toub has been with Kansas City's franchise in some capacity since the 2013 season, consistently proving his value as a member of the organization.
It is about teaching accountability and living it by taking responsibility for failures that aren't your own. This level of professionalism is reflected throughout Andy Reid's staff. This doesn't mean you shouldn't hold players accountable or look to improve. Instead, it shows you're comfortable in adverse situations, understanding what the correct response is and how to prevent it from happening in the future.
Toub is perfectly illustrating this, setting the tone for his roster and giving further motivation to a unit that understands the coach shouldn't be taking any blame for the failed play. This is a great sign as the Chiefs attempt to turn the season around heading into Week 3.