Chiefs Coordinator Quotes
August 2, 2025
ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR DAVE TOUB
Q: On Tyquan Thornton’s role on special teams.
TOUB: “Right now, we’re looking at him (Tyquan Thornton) at gunner, seeing if he can play there. He’s getting a lot of reps everywhere. He’s getting some punt return reps. I think kick return will be his first spot that he’ll be able to help us. Also working at end on punt return, (I) saw him doing that today. And then he’ll be a cover guy on kickoffs somewhere along the front. So, (if) he keeps advancing on the offensive side of the ball, we’ll find a way to get him on the field on special teams.”
Q: How did Matt Araiza solidify his position on the team?
TOUB: “Well, like I said, he (Matt Araiza) was ahead at the point when I talked about it last week, and then he had even a better day – or two days after that. And then we had some injuries where we had to make a decision, just like I said, that might happen. But it forced a decision. Matt (Araiza), he’s like the champion. You (have) got to knock the champion out, and Eddie (Czaplicki) wasn’t able to do that in the period of time that he was here – but I still think he’s (Eddie Czaplicki) an NFL punter. I think he’s going to get another chance somewhere else, and I wish I could’ve got him in some games to just see how he did there, but somebody else will give him a shot and I’m sure he’s going to make it somewhere.”
Q: What’s on your checklist as you prepare for next week’s game against Arizona?
TOUB: “We want to make sure we cover every situation because you never know what’s going to come up, and we go over it and we go over it, and we have a lot of walkthroughs in the afternoon – where you don’t see us working on hands team or onside kick. All those different scenarios, and there’s a thousand of them on special teams, we have to be sure that we’re on those. And every group (has) got to do it. It’s not just the ones. You finish a game, your hands team is going to be your 14 guys. So, they need to know what to do, how to line up, and everything that goes along (with it), which is a lot. It’s a good question.”
Q: On Matt Araiza covering kick-offs.
TOUB: “I don’t want him (Matt Araiza), especially in the preseason, getting down there covering kicks. But, if he knows he didn’t hit (kick) a punt well, he’s like the first one down the field to cover. So that says a lot about him.”
Chiefs Player Quotes
August 2, 2025
WR TYQUAN THORNTON
Q: On getting in a rhythm with Patrick Mahomes.
THORNTON: “Just going out there and doing my job. He (Patrick Mahomes) is going to do his job, and if I go out there and run fast, he is going to put it where it’s supposed to be, and I just gotta make a play.”
Q: On the speed in the receiver room.
THORNTON: “It’s a lot of speed. A lot of guys – who you think are not fast is fast like Rashee (Rice) is one of them guys. He has speed – breakaway speed so a lot of speed top down.”
Q: What is it about Kansas City that has been different from where you have been in college?
THORNTON: “I would say the precise practice. Coming out here with attention to detail and seeing how these guys prepare to the little things and going out there (and) making routine plays.”
WR RASHEE RICE
Q: What have you seen from Jalen Royals and what he has brought to the wide receiver room?
RICE: “Honestly, he (Jalen Royals) is learning real fast. I wouldn’t necessarily say he is like me because he is his own person, but he is going to be a dog his rookie year for sure.”
Q: How did you process your injury last season?
RICE: “I was just waiting for doctors to let me know what was going on. A lot of people thought it was the ACL (but) ended up being (my) LCL and a couple of partial tears. Something that could’ve been a lot bigger ended up not being as big and I took advantage of that.”
Q: How much fun do you have interacting with the fans?
RICE: “I love that. Just not being able to be around the fans last year as much as I wanted to, they kind of make me realize how grateful we are to be out here and to be able to enjoy the fans and each other.”
DE ASHTON GILLOTTE
Q: What does it do for you to have someone on the team like Josh Simmons that you can compete against and go after like that?
GILLOTTE: “It’s definitely a good thing. It’s great to have competition on the field, that’s what we want. That’s the only way we (can) get better, is if we’re continuously pushing each other. Me and him (Josh Simmons) have had a lot of mutual respect coming from college. Like I watched his game, he watched my game. There’s a lot of mutual respect. So, if we’re on the field, (and) I get the best of him, (and) he gets the best of me, you know things are going to build. Tensions are going to build- it was hot (outside). Who cares? You know what I’m saying? At the end of the day, we’re teammates. We’re going to keep pushing each other to get better.”
Q: On the differences and similarities between Ashton Gillotte and George Karlaftis.
GILLOTTE: “Obviously, I think we’re similar, but obviously, George (Karlaftis) is definitely a different rusher. We definitely have our (own) strengths and weaknesses, and it can be different, but George is a grinder. He makes sure he gets after the ball. He’s very, very, very technical. He’s very, very fluid in his rush. Which (are all) things I can look to, to mimic, and basically pick up on my game. Obviously, keeping the fluidity from college is a slight jump, so just making sure I can translate it. And he’s a good person to watch for me. So, I’ll just continue to watch him as we go.”
Q: You’re a week away from the first game; what is it going to mean to you when you step on the field for the first time as an NFL player?