Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce was captured on a hot mic expressing his displeasure with the NFL's decision to discontinue the use of the traditional chain gang for game measurements. The incident occurred during the Chiefs' preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks and was featured in an episode of HBO's "Hard Knocks."
During the game, as an official was explaining the virtual measurement system, Kelce was heard from the offensive huddle shouting, "Man bring the chains back man. This is some bulls–t." Another player, Seahawks practice squad member Uso Seumalo, humorously responded to the referee, "See? Travis Kelce agrees with me."
The NFL has replaced the physical chain gang with Sony's Hawk-Eye system as the primary technology for determining first downs and ball spots. While officials still place the ball by hand, the Hawk-Eye system is used to verify if the ball reached the line to gain. The league estimates this change will save approximately 40 seconds per measurement, potentially saving significant time over the course of a season, with an average of 12 official measurements per week.
Despite the technological shift, the chain gang will still be present at games for other duties. The Chiefs are set to begin their regular season on "Monday Night Football" against the Denver Broncos.