Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid Quotes
September 9, 2024
HEAD COACH ANDY REID
OPENING STATEMENT: “We’re a distance from the Ravens game and well into the Cincinnati Bengals but I can give you a quick recap on the Ravens game. I felt like we did some good things in all three phases with plenty of room to improve in all three phases. It was good to get some the players in that hadn’t really had a lot of the training camp reps. We had six or so players that had limited reps or no reps during our time up at St. Joe, so it was good to get those guys in there and working. I think that’ll pay off for us down the road just with the reps that they received there, and the play time. Most of those guys were on the defensive side of the ball and then Joe Thuney on the offensive side. We came out relatively healthy, there’s really nothing to report. We’ll see how Hollywood (Brown) works out with all of his tests (that) he’s going to have this week, but we’ll just see where he’s at. Other than that, I really don’t have anything to report in that area (injuries). With that, time’s yours.”
Q: What have you seen from Kingsley Suamataia?
REID: “I thought Kingsley (Suamataia) did some good things, plenty to work on going forward but for his first time jumping in there – I guess, what I really think is a pretty good defensive line, I thought he held his own but there are things that he’s got to work on. He needs to get ready, he’s got another big challenge coming up this week, as does our whole offensive line.”
Q: Do you feel like Xavier Worthy had an impact on the game beyond the times that he got the ball?
REID: “I think they (the Ravens) definitely gave him (Xavier Worthy) – they honored his speed, for sure, with how they played when he was in. Then, the impact, other than the plays he made, I thought he did a nice job there. I think he showed he can not only go down the field, when needed, he can also – and I know it was a busted coverage, but he can do that – and that he does have speed and some versatility going across the middle (of the field). He had a nice grab across the middle. I think people – obviously, the teams that we play will see that. If they didn’t know it before, they know it now.”
Q: Why did you feel like kicking every kickoff through the back of the endzone for a touchback and what was the strategy there at this point in the season?
REID: “We just kind of went off the stats that we had, and we felt that that was the best way to go. In a perfect world, if you can kick it right to the goal line and kind of skip it down in there, that’d be great. As you saw in the games yesterday, you saw people trying to do that and then it bounces out of bounds, or they get it before the end zone line and goal line and then they return it for a big return. Then, you look at vice versa, they’re saying, ‘Well we had a chance to return it, we got it past the 30 (yard line),’ that’s just kind of what it is. You got to be spot on with the kick and that’s a lot to ask there.”
Q: How optimistic are you in regard to getting Hollywood Brown back and will you be cautious with his usage considering his importance?
REID: “You froze there for a little bit, but I think you were asking about the timeline. With (Miami Dolphins Wide Receiver) Tyreek (Hill), listen everybody’s different but it’s the same type of injury. He’s getting close. I know he’s (Hollywood Brown) feeling better. We just got to kind of see where it goes from here. They’ve been doing these periodic tests on him and making sure that he’s headed in the right direction and scans and all that. (It) looks like it’s heading in the right direction, now we just have to see where it goes from there.”
Q: What is it about the first couple weeks of the league that creates so much uncertainty for some teams?
REID: “You really don’t know. These guys all have an opportunity like we do – coaches I'm saying, have an opportunity to put in new things in the offseason – work on, they’re not going to show them during the preseason games so you got to be in a position where you’re doing things that you know best and also things that you can adjust to that they might show you. There’s got to be a little bit of flexibility in your thinking when you go into this – the first three or four games of the season.”
Q: What do you think of Bengals Defensive Coordinator Lou Anarumo and his defense? What has made it unique over the years?
REID: “Yeah, he’s (Bengals Defensive Coordinator Lou Anarumo) got a little bit of everything, and they do it so well. I think that’s why he’s so excited to have a safety back there, now because he’s the director of that bunch. Lou (Anarumo) is going to throw a whole lot of different pitches at you. You know you got to keep swinging because they’re not all going to – you’re not going to hit every one of them. He does a heck of a job at that.”
Q: What do your Sundays look like when the Chiefs aren’t playing?
REID: “Yeah, I ran to church and then came in and watched the games right here. Watched the Bengals game on TV first (and) got some work done, our coaches were all in here and that was it.”
Q: Is that fun for you?
REID: “Oh yeah, (I) absolutely love it. Yeah, it’s a good part of it – it’s probably the same thing you guys did, so I mean – you probably watched the games. We had one specific team (Cincinnati Bengals) we had to take a peek at and see what they were doing.”
Q: How do you feel about your secondary’s performance after being able to go back and watch the film?
REID: “I mentioned it after the game that I thought (Joshua) Williams and (Jaylen) Watson made some nice plays on the ball. Listen, I thought the guys did a good job. I mean are there things they would like to have back? Yeah – and that we need to keep working on? Yes, but they also made some plays in there and I thought I took that as a positive, something we can build on. Both of those two have been banged up a little bit. Watson during camp, obviously with the surgery part of it and then just coming back, he was one of those guys that didn’t get a lot of reps. I think he’s just going to keep playing himself kind of into playing shape. Then, Williams missed the last little bit with the hamstring. Anyways, it was good to get those guys going and back in the game. Nazeeh (Johnson) – Nazeeh had the chance to do some things on special teams, had a big play there and he’ll keep working in there too.”
Q: How long do you think it’ll take Samaje Perine to be fully immersed in the offense?
REID: “Listen, I think he’s (Samaje Perine) got it down, where I’m comfortable with him playing. It’s good to have those three guys (running backs) that you feel comfortable with. Perine has always been a real good protection guy, a third down back as well as a first or second (down) back but somebody you feel real comfortable in there playing on third down with all the crazy blitzes that take place.”
Q: How long does it usually take a guy to get physically acclimated to where he’s 100% in football shape? How do you gauge that?