Chiefs’ Eric Fisher reflects on TD grab: ‘It was a memory I’ll have for life’
Chiefs left tackle Eric Fisher, who was chosen to the 2018 Pro Bowl, revealed during training camp that one of his career goals was to garner All-Pro recognition.
After hauling in a 2-yard touchdown catch during Monday night’s 34-20 win over the Baltimore Ravens, should he add All-Pro wide receiver to the list?
Fisher chuckled at the thought, but knew his first career touchdown catch will go down as a career highlight when the time eventually comes to hang up the cleats.
“It was a memory I’ll have for life,” Fisher said Wednesday.
The Chiefs installed the trick play, which calls for Fisher to report as an eligible receiver, during training camp.
Fisher said the team practiced running the play a few times during the week leading to the showdown against the Ravens. But he didn’t believe it would be called given the absence of starting right guard Andrew Wylie, who was inactive with a stomach illness.
Not knowing the play was coming proved a good thing, though, as Fisher didn’t have to contemplate his role until his number was called to execute.
“I didn’t think there was a chance we were calling it,” he said. “It kind of surprised me, which might have been a good thing. That way I wasn’t thinking about it the whole game.”
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid put faith in Fisher’s ability to make the play, but it produced an anxious moment.
At the snap, Fisher engaged outside linebacker Malik Harrison at the line of scrimmage. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes briefly rolled right, and then looked left at Fisher, who was wide open after disengaging from Harrison.
Mahomes then lofted a pass, which sailed a touch high, but the 6-foot-7, 315-pound Fisher extended both arms to snare the pass as his forward momentum carried him into the end zone for the Chiefs’ final touchdown of the game.
“Fish is always bragging about how good his hands are, so he did a pretty good job, I have to give him credit,” Reid said after the game. “I was a little nervous when he had to jump, but he did a nice job.”
While the catch process might have made Reid experience some anxiety, it turns out Mahomes had a good feel on Fisher’s catch radius from training camp.
“There was one time I threw it high just to see how much range he had because most times he was wide open, and I could throw it right to his chest,” Mahomes said. “I thought he did a great job.
“The dude is an athlete; that’s the reason he’s been playing the position so well for so long. I’m sure he’ll be talking about it for years to come, so I’m glad he got in the end zone.”
And with that, lasting memories of a touchdown catch for Fisher, his family and friends.
“I had a lot of texts,” Fisher said. “It took me probably through (Tuesday) to get back to everybody. I tried to do my best on that. Everybody was excited for me.”
This story was originally published September 30, 2020 at 3:22 PM.
