Ryan Murphy was apparently saying “yes, Chief” to Travis Kelce‘s Grotesquerie role from the start.

The co-creator recalled a “general meeting” he had with the NFL star during a press junket attended by DECIDER on Monday, noting that Kelce had told him “he was interested in getting into acting.” Teasing that he had given Kelce “some fatherly advice,” Murphy said that the meeting ultimately ended with him saying, “‘Okay, well, I’ll keep you in mind, and maybe we’ll come up with something.’

“And he said, ‘No, I want to do it now. I have three months now, and I really would love to have anything,'” Murphy continued. “We were, I think just starting to get into pre-production for Grotesquerie, and I said, ‘Well I have this one part, and if you are interested, I will specifically write it and tailor it for you.’ And he said, ‘I would love that.'”

Murphy praised Kelce’s work, gushing that after directing “the first episode he did” with Niecy Nash-Betts, the two “instantly loved [Kelce] and took him by the hand and let him know that he would not, could not fail.”

“He really was amazing,” Murphy added. “He worked with an acting coach for several months. He showed up off book. He knew everybody’s lines. He was so professional. He was so committed. He kept saying to me, ‘I’m real coachable. Coach me, coach me.’ So I did, and he ended up being a delight, and I would love to continue working with him on this and other things.”

Murphy noted he “cannot say enough about him as a leader,” describing Kelce as “just the kindest, sweetest…everything you think about him is true.”

In the horror drama’s official trailer, which FX released on Sept. 4, Kelce could be seen creepily telling Nash-Betts’ Detective Lois Tryon that “there is no future after this.”

Kelce has seemingly scored a role in Happy Gilmore 2, as well. Adam Sandler teased on The Tonight Show in August that they “have a nice something for Travis” in the Netflix comedy sequel.

Grotesquerie premieres on Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 10 p.m. on FX. Next-day streaming will be available on Hulu. Watch the trailer above.