Chiefs Coordinator Quotes
August 25, 2026
ASSISTANT HEAD COACH & SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR DAVE TOUB
Q: On K Harrison Butker’s performance at Tampa Bay.
TOUB: “(K Harrison) Butker, highest of highs, lowest of lows, really, in the same game. Really encouraged about the kick he made, I mean that first 58-yarder and the other one, too, but the 69 yarder–to know that we can do that, in that situation with three seconds left in a half or a game, a possible game winner. You have to sit there and weigh the odds as a Hail Mary, or is it that? Which gives you the best chance to get points, you (can) possibly win a game with that, I mean that’s pretty encouraging. He had a little bit of a different step on that. If you notice, he has a little hop step into it to get his momentum going on a kick that long. He hit that thing great. It was very impressive.”
Q: Did you see a commonality on the missed field goal at the end of game and PAT?
TOUB: “No, the only thing that we emphasized, and we looked at it is, number one, the game wasn’t over, so you’ve got to keep that in mind. You’ve still got to make a game possible winner, just because we made a huge field goal right there you can’t let up mentally. And then the other thing was you’ve got to stay aggressive on the short kicks. You hit a 69-yarder, then all of a sudden, now you’re hitting an extra point, and you have to do the same things. Stay aggressive, that’s what we talked about. He kind of was tentative on it, kind of trying to place it in there and then when he missed that one that was weighing on his mind, obviously for the next one, it seemed like to me. But he did the same thing, it kind of was tentative, but we worked it out in practice yesterday, we just keep working on it. We’ve got 15 days until we even get to our game week, 15 days before we even get to game week. So, we’ve got plenty of time to keep working on this stuff, but I was really encouraged with that long kick though for sure.”
Q: Did you anticipate needing CB Mansoor Delane on special teams?
TOUB: “I could, he had a great gunner route. I don’t know if you saw that gunner route, he just ran right by the guy, and, if we needed him, we have him. But I think he’s really establishing himself, he did a real good job in that last game, and I think you draft a guy that high, he’s playing out the way he’s playing, I doubt I get my hands on that guy, but I would like to, but it is what it is.”
Q: How has WR Nikko Remigio’s vision improved over the offseason?
TOUB: “Well, the punt return that he had, he only had one punt return because we’re trying to rotate a lot of guys in there. He caught it, instead of taking it outside, the outside was there, but the inside was there and he saw that and he got up field and went north and south and got 15 yards. If we get that out of (WR) Nikko (Remigio) every time, we’re going to do well.”
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR ERIC BIENIEMY
OPENING STATEMENT: “All right, good afternoon. New week, coming off a tough loss this past weekend. There was some good throughout the course of the game. And obviously, you never want to end the game the way we did on offense, the offensive side of the ball, with a turnover. But a part of this entire process is that we got to continue to evaluate, all right, and keep it moving forward. With that said, I'm all ears.”
Q: As you guys are building this thing, what do you think RB Kenneth Walker is going to mean to QB Patrick Mahomes in the passing game?
BIENIEMY: “Well, I think when you have a great run game, it opens up things down the field because it tends to have people play closer to the line of scrimmage, and it just opens up things. But the thing that we need to make sure that we're focused on is making sure that we can all get on the same page and continue to build everything as we want to with the right people. But also making sure that we're getting the guys in the right positions to execute and get the things done that we wanted done. And I know we're thinking ahead, but I'm thinking about today and what needs to be done. And on top of that, making sure that we can come away with a victory this particular weekend coming up.”
Q: What stands out about QB Garrett Nussmeier? What's stood out about him just since he got here and just seeing him play a couple games now?
BIENIEMY: “You know what I think what has stood out with (QB) Garrett (Nussmeier) is that first and foremost, he's humble, he's hardworking, he respects the game, he respects his peers, takes a lot of good notes. I think he fits in with those guys. I think between him and (QB) Justin (Fields), and (QB) Pat (Mahomes) and (QB) Chris (Oladokun), they all do a great job of over communicating. All of those guys, there's one thing about quarterback rooms, there's normally a lot of good chemistry in there. Those guys sit around and they talk about all the different scenarios that could present itself throughout the course of the game, and they're always sharing thoughts on what they would do in a particular situation. So, I like the competition that's taking place. I like where everybody is so far, yes. Can we play better at a number of positions? Yes, we could. Can Garrett play better at times? Yes. I think he's had a good camp so far. I think the sky is still the limit for him. But at the end of the day, I think collectively as a group, that overall group has done a good job, and I like where they are right now.”
Q: What have you learned about WR Rashee Rice and the work he's putting in to try to get back on the field, and what do you think he can do this year?
BIENIEMY: “Well, first of all, (WR) Rashee (Rice) is a very good player. His overall resume has spoken for itself. The thing I'm trying to get to know, and we're still working through this, is getting to know the person. To see the things that make him click. What are the things that inspire him? What are some of the things that he loves to do off the field? It's all about building relationships with people. And so the thing that I love about Rashee, first and foremost, he's tough. He's very, very tough. Another thing, and I'm not saying this in a bad way, he's hardheaded. You know what I mean? And he's stubborn because he feels that he's good enough at certain things, and I like that because you got to get him to see it from a different point of view. And when he can see it from a different point of view with a set of different eyes, now it opens up his brain. And I mean, you can see it resonate, and so those are the things that I've learned about him. Now, it's just about making sure we can get the continuous reps to get him back on track, to get him in game shape because we have to get it right. And on top of that, we got to make sure that all the little fine details that need to be executed are basically done within the next couple of weeks or so.”
Q: The offensive line protection is always important. It feels more important this year because of QB Patrick Mahomes injury, so what do you need to see from the starting line to sleep soundly going into week one?
BIENIEMY: “Well, first and foremost, we need to make sure that our front five is our front five, and we're seeing the very best of who they are. I think more than anything, a great run game would help that out as well. That's why we have (RB) Kenneth (Walker), but we got to continue to develop our O-line. We got to continue to evaluate. Obviously, there's still some players that we're looking at. I thought (T) Kahlil (Benson) came away and played a decent game. Could he have been better? Yes, okay. I know we're playing him all over the place, giving him an opportunity to show what he can do and put it on display. I got to say this on a side note, there was a point in time, I know he was dog dead tired in the game, and he gave up a strip sack. You don't celebrate this, alright? But did you see when he picked that ball up and took off and ran? I'm like, if you play the game like the ball was in your hand, we got a chance, okay? So that's the effort and energy that I need to see from him every single day. And basically, to get out of this critical thinking of overanalyzing and overthinking, but yeah, we're still in that evaluation process. We still are watching our guys, and like I said, there was some good that took place, individual performances. But when it's all said and done with, it's about the collective group. And at the end of the day, we always want to find a way to drag our ass across the finish line and win the game. We had that opportunity, okay? And we can't turn the ball over when it's all said and done with.”
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR STEVE SPAGNUOLO
OPENING STATEMENT: “Alright, morning. I could say good morning. I'm just ready to roll. We just got done with our walk-through and excited to get this last game in here, so with that I'll just open up.”
Q: On Mansoor Delane’s play last Saturday at Tampa Bay.
SPAGNUOLO: “Yeah, it was good to see (CB Mansoor Delane) him out there after going through—you guys saw him jogging in and out of the huddle and I think he felt good he got to stay in the huddle and actually do a play. I mean, he had that one quick trigger on the rocket screen which was nice. Other than that, he really didn't get a lot of action, but I think for him it was just good to be out there, get the pads on.”
Q: On CB Chris Roland-Wallace.
SPAGNUOLO: “Yeah, that's a great question. I'm glad we brought that up. (CB Chris Roland-Wallace) He's playing a lot of spots right now. In any defense, I think that's valuable when you can be that versatile, and he's been, listen, you guys know his story and his journey. He comes in here as an undrafted guy and opened up some eyes, made the team. I can't remember if it was practice or the 53, but he has just kind of done that every year, and he's become a real reliable player for us. So, hopefully, he can do some things. Right now, we've got to play. We'll figure out when we get (CB L’Jarius) LJ (Sneed) back. We're going to get everybody back to figure out where everybody's going to slot in, but it's good to have that versatility.”
Q: What do you think the impact of DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah's sack was for him and what else did you see out of him?
SPAGNUOLO: “I thought he had a really good game overall. I mean, a week ago, I think (DB) Jaden Hicks probably played the best of the crew, you could throw (DE) Felix (Anudike-Uzomah) in there for this one particular game. Not only that one play, he almost had another one, I think, the very next play, but that quarterback, they have another athlete out there, a quarterback. Every team's got one and they make you miss, but I think Felix has done a nice job coming off the injury. Didn't get a lot of reps in the OTAs because of it, and he did a lot of catching up in training camp, and I think he's found his way into getting a little bit more comfortable. I think the sack is always a confidence builder.”
Q: What is NT Khyiris Tonga’s ideal role in the defense?
SPAGNUOLO: “(NT Khyiris Tonga) He's solid as a rock. He doesn't say very much, but he's serious about his profession. He’s been really good for (DT Peter Woods) Pete. He's been real serious in the way he goes. He's silent. He doesn't say very much, but you know he knows what he's doing, and he's physical when he does it, and this offense we're getting ready to play here, knocked us around last time we played in the preseason, and a lot of that, when a team attacks you like that, it's really important that the inside guy is a stout, and I'm hoping we can come away in this game saying that we have that, and (NT Khyiris Tonga) KT's a big part of it.”
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes Quotes
August 25, 2026
Q: On checklist for getting ready to play.
MAHOMES: “Honestly, I don’t know because I haven’t not played in the preseason before. I think for me it’s just preparing just like a game week every single week. You know, this week we have kind of treated it more like a game week, and so being able to go in that same process — having Wednesday practice yesterday and then a Thursday practice today. Take my notes the same and the watch same film that I’ll usually watch. I think that’s kind of how I prepare. Get out there on the practice field and treat every rep like it’s the most important rep. I think if you can do that, you’ll be ready to go whenever you get that opportunity to go out there in the game.”
Q: How do you see your own best-case scenario for whether you want to play this week, and what will that do or not do for you, if you know?
MAHOMES: “I don’t know what the best-case scenario is honestly. I never came off an injury like this. I have never been in this situation before. So, all I can do is prepare myself the best way I can and that’s just getting the most out of every single day and staying on top of the rehab process. As well as going out there and practicing at a high level. I think if I do that whenever that opportunity comes, I’ll be ready to go.”
Q: On how the process has changed since training camp and offseason to real practice.
MAHOMES: “I’ve got to be up a lot earlier so I’m still getting the rehab stuff done. Getting in here super early in the morning and kind of knocking some stuff out there. Then, going into meetings and after meetings, before practice, kind of like right now, just go back and get some more work in. Same with after practice and stuff like that. So, it was just some more time. Luckily for me, I’ve kind of done a lot of the workout stuff with Bobby (Stroupe) and stuff like that in the past. It’s not like it’s too much for my body. I’ve prepared my body for it. It’s just a little different, how we do our workouts. Then getting my time with Bobby on the side as well, not trying to overdo it, but still be on top of my game.”
Q: On hitting the checkpoints he made at the beginning of camp.
MAHOMES: “Yeah, for sure. I haven’t missed any reps. Getting to be out there day after day and kind of have the grind of a camp, you know? I mean, that could be even harder than the season. Just wear and tear on your body and going back out there and doing it again the next day. It’s been awesome for me to be able to go out and do that. I’m excited. I didn’t know if I was going to take days off and stuff like that, but my body’s responded the right way. I haven’t had to miss anything other than the preseason games, but even for those, I’m going through the warmup process, trying to make myself prepared. I just don’t get the one series or whatever it would be. But, other than that I have done every single rep.”
Q: Are you still texting with Washington Commanders TE Zach Ertz?
MAHOMES: “I haven’t texted him during camp. I’ve been locked in throughout camp. But I know he’s still working. I saw him throwing with (Former NFL Quarterback) Andrew Luck recently. So, I know he’s working, too. Those St. Joe dorm rooms, man. You don’t get a lot of text messages. I was just trying to make sure I text Brittany (Mahome). If I text Brittany, I am usually in a good spot.”
Q: Is there another test for you before regular season or are you good to go when VP of Sports Medicine and Performance Rick Burkholder is?
MAHOMES: “Honestly, I don’t know the exact answer. I know that we talk to the doctor a lot and kind of just tell him how I’m feeling. He trusts (Assistant Athletic Trainer) Julie (Frymyer) a ton on her examining me day to day and stuff like that. As long as I can continue to go out there and feel good and trust my body and be able to go out there and be myself, I think I’m going to be good to go. But that would probably be a better question for (VP of Sports Medicine and Performance) Rick (Burkholder) to answer.”
Q: On mentally changing things on the field since injury.
MAHOMES: “Yeah, I try not to make those hard cuts and stuff like that, but at the end of the day, I am a competitor, and it kind of just takes over sometimes. You want to still prove to yourself that you can do it, and I’ve been able to do that in certain spots of making quick cuts making reactionary cuts, which I think is the biggest thing when it comes to this and felt great doing it. I think more than anything, it’s just by working through the pocket, finding the comfortable spot in the pocket, and making the throws. I feel like I had a really good training camp doing that. The other stuff has kind of come natural to me. It’s not like I am thinking about it though. It’s just kind of happens.”
Q: After practice, hard day of practice, long drive, whatever, feel any different than you felt two years ago? Does your knee feel the same?
MAHOMES: “No, I think, honestly, the more we practice, the better I feel, I feel like. I think sometimes when I take the days off and you don't do anything is when you might feel some soreness or whatever that is. But when we kind of started getting in the groove of practice, it's like every day I came back to practice, I feel even better and even better. And so, I got to learn through that process. And so now the days off, I make sure to come in and do some type of mobility, some type of work with (Assistant Athletic Trainer) Julie (Frymyer), just kind of get the range of motion going. And I think I've found a good spot now that after some of these days off, I've felt better and better. And so, I still have to learn throughout the year. But I think it's a positive that the more work that I do, the better I feel.”
Q: Do you feel hesitant at all? I mean, we heard you during the preseason game that you wanted to be out there. But is there any sort of hesitance in your mind that holds you back at all?
MAHOMES: “There hasn't been yet. Obviously, I haven't played in the game, and I haven't been able to get hit. But having people around me competing and doing stuff like that, it's almost like I do everything I naturally do. And then after, it's kind of like the coaches come up to me like, hey, let's calm down a little bit. It's just like being a competitor, I want to go out there and win. I want to go out there and give everything I have for the team. And so, I haven't had any hesitancy kind of throughout the plays. It's kind of the coaches talking to me after and telling me we're just practicing. It's not a real live game, and so, I haven't had it really good.”
Q: You've come back from injuries before, you know, to be faster than the average player. How much of that experience gives you the ability to visualize what it will be like on opening night?
MAHOMES: “Yeah, I mean, I don't know if it's really like – it's nine months. I mean, it's the amount of time they said from the very beginning, that if I did everything the right way, I would be ready to play week one. And it's just been about being a plan. I'm someone that you put something out in front of me, I want to go out and get it. I want to go out and maximize every single opportunity, every rep in the weight room, every hour that I can spend in the building to get my body right. And so, this has always been the plan is get ready for training camp, get all the reps in training camp, prepare your body that way, so that when you get to week one, you're ready to play the game and you've had the right amount of time off. And so from the day that I got the surgery, as quick as I did, to hopefully the first game of the year, the plan will go accordingly, and I'll be able to go out there and be myself.”
Q: You usually point to the need to get hit for a game. Do you feel that more or less because of the situation or do you just not have it in your mind?
MAHOMES: “I don't really have it in my mind. I mean, obviously, I always say that because it kind of locks you in. When you get that first hit, it almost kind of locks you in to like, alright, we're playing football again, everything like that. But I feel like the last few preseason games, we've been so good blocking them throughout these draws that I haven't taken that hit. And so, it will be kind of that same type of experience. But at the end of the day, we're going that week one, if I'm able to kind of get through this process and be able to play, that we'll be going up against one of the best defenses in the league. And so, I'll have to be ready to go no matter what it is.”
Q: You look like you had a pretty good burst getting out there to K Harrison Butker.
MAHOMES: “That's why I just like – at the end of the day, I just love football. It's just such a cool sport where everybody's – it takes everybody. And so (K Harrison Butker) him hitting that field goal, I mean, I was as excited, I think, as he was. And so, it's just like seeing your teammates succeed. And I want to have fun and just enjoy being out there on the football field again. So, I was pretty excited about that.”
Q: Speaking of loving football, we saw you running the scout books yesterday. Do you have any take on that role?
MAHOMES: “Yeah, I mean, to me it's just another rep. You know, like I'm getting to compete against the defense. And no matter if it's going first or if it's getting an extra rep on the scout team or whatever that is, I'm going to compete. That's just who I am. And I like being able to go out there and go against (DT) Chris Jones because it's always fun talking trash to him. So, that's always a good time.” (laughter)
Q: Receivers like WR Xavier Worthy and WR Rashee Rice and pretty much your whole offensive line, what is required when you're going to depend on a rookie, whether it's WR Cyrus Allen this year or maybe T Kahlil Benson? Like what's sort of required to help integrate a rookie to be ready?