Has he finally earned his way into the heart of Andy Reid?
This is the hope of players around him, quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his family, in terms of wide receiver Gehrig Dieter making the 53-man roster for Kansas City. The underrated weapon from South Bend, Ind., has worked tirelessly the last two years to try and make the active roster.
After his performance in a 28-14 win for the Chiefs over the Falcons in week two of preseason action for the National Football League, maybe Reid’s eyes have opened to the young man the team refers to as “sheep dog.”
Dieter brought in two receptions in Friday’s matchup at Mercedes-Benz Stadium for 36 yards – including a 27-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter.
Chad Henne connects with Gehrig Dieter for the 27-yard TOUCHDOWN! ? pic.twitter.com/zrCgeEACTQ
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) August 18, 2018
The 6-foot-3 technician burned his defender on a go route, providing backup quarterback Chad Henne with an easy throw along the left sideline. Dieter’s score was the first of his professional career and gave Kansas City a 17-14 lead. Prior to the matchup, the former Alabama and Bowling Green standout made his mark in building relationships with marquee players.
While he and Mahomes work out together, offensive weapons Travis Kelce, Kareem Hunt and Tyreek Hill all seem to really admire Dieter. With this being said, it will only be a matter of time before he is active up from the practice squad. One of the coolest moments from the game was seeing Dieter and his former teammate at Alabama, Calvin Ridley, swap jerseys afterwards.
Both players entertained the crowd with scores, despite Dieter getting the win.
Former Tide receivers Gehrig Dieter and Calvin Ridley talk it up after Chiefs-Falcons preseason game
According to Pro Football Focus, a website that dives into the analytics of both college and NFL, Dieter received the top grade for Chiefs’ offensive players from the contest at 88.6. He was a conference champion at both Alabama and Bowling Green, but now he looks to snatch the attention of pros.
Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
