The Kelce brothers would like to see the waggle come to the NFL.
During the latest episode of their popularity New Heights podcast, Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce shared their ideas for future NFL rule changes. While most of the conversation centered around Travis’ desire to see hockey-style fights adopted in football, his older sibling had a much more realistic proposal.
“I would change the motioning rules,” Jason said. “I think you should be able to be more chaotic on offense pre-snap. I don’t think you should have to be set.”
Travis was quick to dub the proposal “Canadian-style”, referencing the CFL’s unlimited motion and forward waggle. That was an assessment that his brother was happy to lean in to.
“I like the Canadian rules on motions, where you can get a full-on running start. Also just having multiple people in motion,” Jason said. “I think that it’s already such an advantage for the offense when you move one guy. The fact that the defense doesn’t have to be set but the offense has to be set, I think it’s just a dumb rule.”
The famous siblings are very familiar with the CFL game thanks to their close friendship with Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ quarterback Zach Collaros, with whom they shared a house while at the University of Cincinnati. Collaros has gone on to win two Most Outstanding Player awards by taking advantage of the motion rules north of the border, while both of the Kelces have established themselves as the best player at their position in the NFL.
Since being drafted in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Eagles, Jason Kelce has started 176 career games and earned five first-team All-Pro selections, including in 2022. Travis was drafted in the third round by Kansas City two years later, earning first-team All-Pro honors four times — also including 2022 — as well as three second-team selections. He is the only tight end in history to produce seven 1,000-yard seasons, a feat he accomplished consecutively.
Both brothers have a Super Bowl ring to their name and remain in the hunt for a second one this year. Philadelphia is slated to host the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship game on Sunday, just before the Chiefs host the Cincinnati Bengals for the AFC Championship.
Despite their dominance in the four-down game, neither has shied away from compliments for the three-down brand of football. In regards to motion, Jason believes Canada simply has it right.
“The defense, they can be moving all over the place, they can be hiding everything but the offense, you have to be set. If two guys go in motion, they both have to come back to a complete stop for a second,” he explained of the current NFL rules.
“I feel like there’s some really cool things that could happen from an offensive structure if you changed those motioning rules.”