Giants' Malik Nabers Draws Travis Kelce Comparison from Coach Matt Nagy

New York Giants play-caller Matt Nagy has drawn a comparison between wide receiver Malik Nabers and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, citing Nabers' intense competitiveness and his vocal desire for more targets as reminiscent of Kelce during Nagy's time with the Chiefs.

Nagy, who previously served as a quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator for the Chiefs, stated that Nabers reminds him of Kelce in terms of talent and personality. "He was a guy who wanted the ball a lot, and he had great ways on how to let you know how to do it," Nagy said. He added that while he wasn't calling plays under Andy Reid in Kansas City, he observed similar player dynamics.

Nabers recently expressed his frustration with a lack of second-half targets in a game, a sentiment that Nagy views as a sign of his competitive nature. "I do really like it as long as it’s done the right way," Nagy commented. "Malik is without a doubt one of the most talented players – not just receivers – I’ve ever been around. On top of that, he’s probably one of the most competitive. You morph those together and you have somebody that sometimes that may happen."

Nagy emphasized that such expressions of desire for the ball should not be discouraged. "Don’t ever take that away from a player. You are crazy if you take that away from somebody. Don’t ever try to not get him the football," he stated.

The Giants' coaching staff, including head coach John Harbaugh, has been aware of Nabers' demands, with Harbaugh relaying Nabers' request for more targets through the headset during a game, as captured on NFL Films.

Nagy acknowledged that while Nabers is still developing, the team aims to foster his competitiveness constructively. "We want to make sure that it’s constructive and not destructive in how that happens," Nagy explained. "He’s still young, and we’re still going through that process. I’ve got thick skin. I can handle it. But we just want to make sure it’s for us, and it doesn’t cross a line."

Nabers is coming off his first 100-yard receiving game and first touchdown since returning from knee surgery. In a recent game, tight end Isaiah Likely received 12 targets, while Nabers had seven. "We had a great conversation on Tuesday," Nagy said. "He’s in a great spot. We definitely want to get him the ball A LOT."