Former Hawkeye Tony Moeaki has gift of grab in Kansas City

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - Tony Moeaki's never had the gift of gab, but last year he sure had the gift of grab.

The second-year Kansas City Chiefs tight end pulled down one of the season's best catches against San Francisco. Moeaki lined up in the slot and worked against 49ers linebacker NaVorro Bowman. Moeaki ran a post route, but quarterback Matt Cassel's pass was high. Moeaki jumped, grabbed the ball with his right hand, pulled it into his body and his shoulder hit the end zone turf just inches from the end zone boundary.

Touchdown, Chiefs. Hello, accolades.

Moeaki, a tight end at Iowa from 2005 through 2009, earned NFL Rookie of the Week honors with his performance. He finished the game with four catches for 44 yards. In its commercial promotions, NFL Network ranks Moeaki's grab last year's fourth-best catch.

But with the replays come the jokes. His teammates often joke with him about the catch's constant television replay. Moeaki takes it stride.

"I have a couple teammates that give me a hard time about it, but it's all in good fun," Moeaki said. "It was just a play I had to make at the time, but that's over with now. Hopefully I can make more plays like that when it presents itself."

Moeaki finished the season with 47 catches, shattering Tony Gonzalez's previous Chiefs rookie record for tight ends by 14. Moeaki had the second-most catches among rookie tight ends last year and was six yards shy of leading his position in yardage. He also finished with three touchdowns.

But to talk with Moeaki, last year is almost wiped from memory. He's not interested in talking about the past, which included an AFC West Division title, and instead focuses on his upcoming season with the Chiefs.

"We've still got a long ways to go," Moeaki said. "Everyone, including myself, has work to do to get ready for the season. We just need to take it one day at a time. That's what I'm doing."

Moeaki has no choice but to apply small steps to training camp at Missouri Western State University. He initially landed on the Chiefs' physically unable to perform list because of a reported offseason knee surgery. Neither Moeaki nor Chiefs Coach Todd Haley confirmed the operation, but Moeaki was able to return to practice on Monday.

It's undetermined if he'll play in the Chiefs' preseason opener against Tampa Bay on Friday.

"It feels good anytime you get to be with your teammates on the field," Moeaki said. "I've been out for the last few days, so it's been good."

Haley said he won't rush Moeaki into the lineup for a preseason game.

"I'm really going day by day; even, maybe broken up a little more than that," Haley said. "I think that's going to work well for us. I think it will keep us from getting ahead of ourselves and maybe doing something that we might regret down the road. Just one step at time, one practice at a time, one preseason game at a time, knowing the focus is on September 11 and trying to have everybody as close to ready to go as possible at that point."

The NFL lockout prevented Moeaki from working out in Kansas City this offseason, so he chose to train in Iowa City with Iowa strength coach Chris Doyle. Moeaki said he worked on both strength and speed this offseason with Doyle.

"Obviously I have a lot of respect for Coach Doyle, and I've been working with him for so long," Moeaki said. "He's always there for us. I'm real thankful to him."

As for goals this year, Moeaki's are simple. No numbers, no awards.

Just help the team win," he said. "That's what it's all about it."

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