KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Chiefs coach Andy Reid gave no indication Wednesday that he plans to utilize any kind of sneak to help improve the offense's struggles in short-yardage situations this season.
Entering Sunday's game against the New York Jets, the Chiefs have converted just 20 of 34 chances in which they needed 2 yards or less on third- and fourth-down snaps. Not once has quarterback Patrick Mahomes or another skill-position player attempted a sneak.
"Yeah, I think that's going to be our first call [Sunday]," Reid jokingly said with a blank facial expression.
The last time the Chiefs attempted a sneak of any kind was Week 6 of the 2023 season, when tight end Noah Gray attempted one on a fake field goal play on fourth-and-2. The Denver Broncos held Gray to a 1-yard gain.
Mahomes hasn't run a sneak since Week 7 of the 2019 season, when he suffered a dislocated right kneecap on the play, which forced him to miss two games. Kansas City is the lone NFL team not to have run a quarterback sneak since then.
Last Sunday, facing third-and-goal at the 1-yard line with nine seconds remaining against the Broncos, Mahomes got under center and handed the ball off to running back Kenneth Walker III, who was tackled by safety JL Skinner for no gain.
Mahomes said he didn't consider calling an audible for a sneak on the play as the Broncos' goal-line stand clinched a 28-24 victory.
"Well, if I do that, it better work," Mahomes said, smiling and laughing. "I understand people, when you watch the film and see stuff, you want [us] to go out there and make it happen. Obviously, the play call is what we called, and we wanted to execute that play. They were able to stunt and get people in position to where Kenneth wasn't able to get going downhill and score a touchdown.
"If I do call my own number, it's got to work. That's something I'll think about in the future."
Despite Walker's success this season -- he's third in the league with 770 rushing yards -- the Chiefs have not been efficient in short-yardage situations. The issue is even more glaring when closer to the goal line. When the ball is inside the 5, the Chiefs have managed only two touchdowns on 13 rushing attempts for an NFL-worst 14% success rate.
"It's something we've been better at in the past years," Mahomes said. "Obviously, this year, we haven't been able to execute in those situations. It always comes down to kind of one guy here or there and just not being on the same page.
"We have to continue to be more and more physical. We have to continue to be on the same page, understand what the defense is presenting to us, be able to communicate well then go out there and just make it happen. It's not always going to be pretty, but you've got to make it happen."
The Chiefs could utilize backup quarterback Justin Fields in those situations; he converted on seven of his eight sneak attempts while with the Jets last season.
Mahomes, however, made it clear he's willing to run the sneak if Reid gives him the opportunity.
"I'm going to do whatever it takes to win," Mahomes said. "It's not like I'm scared to go out there and put my body on the line. That's how I've played. It's got me in trouble sometimes and sometimes it's helped the team."