OPENING STATEMENT: “Alright, good to be back together. So, I’ll start with Norma Hunt. You know we’re obviously sad that she passed away. You know the thing that gets you through these things is trying to focus on the good times and we had so many good timeswith her. And just the picture, the image of her greeting Lamar up there kind of fires me up. It’ll be a great reunion and there’s suchlove between them and the family so we’re here to support them, the family, and our memories of Norma are great. With that, it’s good to get these guys out here working. They’re working their tail off. This week has been all against opponents, so the AFC West and then our first opponent, the Lions. So, we’ve got some work. We’ve got the Lions tomorrow. We’ve had the AFC West the last three days. So, the guys are working hard, they’re challenging each other within the rules that you’re confined to. But it’s a good foundation for them as we work into the veteran mini-camp and then into training camp,most of all. They’ll at least have a foundation there going up to St. Joseph. Anyways, with that, time’s yours.”
Q: Early impressions on Skyy Moore heading into this season.
REID: “Skyy’s worked real hard this offseason. He looks like he’s on the same page with Patrick. He’s doing a nice job and again, we just – in these camps he’s been doing a real nice job. Let’s keep on advancing as we go and he’ll do that because he’s wired right to do that.”
Q: Have you learned anything about Donovan Smith and Jawaan Taylor after a few weeks?
REID: “Yeah so this is all pass game. There’s no run game and then the defensive line pulls off once they get up the field but, listen, they’re smart guys. They’re taking good sets and doing the things that they’re supposed to do. You can tell that they’ve played before. They’re handling themselves right and digging in on the new protections and the snap count in itself, you know and all those things to make sure they’re ready once we get to training camp.”
Q: You’ve had turnover at the receiver position especially the last couple of years. With the new guys and the rookies coming in as well, is there a custom game plan as far as how you prep those guys and get them up to speed? Or is it one-size fits all?
REID: “Yeah, well you kind of teach them the whole as you’regoing, one day at a time. The whole to the part and not the part tothe whole. So, we give them the whole shebang and then we break it down for them in little pods each day. Although they have all the information, and they can go look at the big picture of things but we try to taper the individual practices and pretty tight window there for them so they can focus in on what they need to.”
Q: From a skill position standpoint what are your thoughts on Rashee Rice and Deneric Prince?
REID: “Listen, I think they both have done a nice job. Again, I think the volume and the tempo and all those things, the newness of the plays, they’re in a huddle – you know what I’m saying? Then the speed that we go at and then the speed obviously that the defense presents, they’re in their different coverages. So, they’re working through all that and that’s a positive.”
Q: Deneric Prince had a good catch out there today. What have you seen from him?
REID: “Listen, I saw (General Manager Brett) Veach over there coaching you guys up (laughter). Yeah, he’s got really good hands and it looked like he caught one right when Veach was there, in the endzone, right in front of you guys. He’s done a nice job. Again, that’s part of the game. So, another part is the running game which we’re not doing (yet), except versus air, so we’ll have to see how all of that goes once we get there. But he’s a sharp kid, he’s got skill, looks like. He’s big and can run and has good feel for things right now.”
Q: Is Felix Anudike-Uzomah back to full participation?
REID: “Yeah, he is. He had that surgery – that thumb surgery – and had a hamstring too and so he’s worked through all that and he’s back in the swing and looks like he’s feeling better every day, which is a good thing.”
Q: What was it like being around last year’s team at the White House? How was it to have guys like former Chiefs Offensive Coordinator Eric Bieniemy and former Chiefs DE Frank Clark attend?
REID: “I’ll tell you it was great. You know what was neat, I mentioned it to you down there that you put all the politics aside.So, you’re not democratic, you’re not republican, you’re not independent, you’re just – you’re an American. I thought that was the neatest part of the thing – that everybody was just enjoying the history and they laid out a spread for us of food that was great. The hospitality was phenomenal. They had different military guys in each of the rooms they let us go in and the guys were experts on the paintings and the architecture and who’s special room this was andthat room, and so you got the history. Everything from the oldest table to the oldest picture, you know you got the history of that, and I think the guys appreciated that part. And then, listen PresidentBiden spent a ton of time with the guys and myself, and some of the coaches there. He’s obviously a Delaware fan and we’ve got a lot of those Blue Hens on our team in the coaching ranks and Brett. So, he spent a ton of time with us – more than we thought. We were thinking maybe 10 minutes that you get from the president but he was very giving there.”
Q: Did you attend the White House when you were with Green Bay?
REID: “I did. Yeah, I went with Green Bay. It was a little different than that. Some of the restrictions are tighter now but, they try not to make you feel that way. We were in, and they appreciated us being there. I mean, like I said, the hospitality was phenomenal. My hat goes off to them.”
Q: How impactful was it for you and some of the other players from the 2019 team who weren’t able to visit the White House after that Super Bowl win?
REID: “Yeah, it was kind of fun. I mentioned that you know when I had a chance to talk that we’re enjoying the heck out of this thing. I wish all the guys from that team could’ve been there too but, you know, it was great. That was great. We had a ton – they divided off, which I know some of you guys were there, they divided off the crowd. So, you had the team and the Chiefs organization on one side and then on the other side you had people that were Chiefs fans thatlived either in D.C. and work or in the surrounding area there. And both sides were fully loaded. There were a lot of people and that was kind of fun to see and the people that were outside around the busses. They let people get relatively close there. Again, the support was great, and you felt that for the guys. The guys that left had a blast with it. They just jumped in like they were still on the team and rolling. So, I had a good time.”
Q: How fun has it been celebrating this time around after not getting to much after 2019?
REID: “Yeah, in a weird way I think they were excited to have us there just because of that. And President Biden played football at Delaware. He was – I’m sure it’s a breath of fresh air where he doesn’t have to worry about talking to the guys (the Chiefs) he could just talk to them and he did. And I think the guys loved that part, I think he loved it. It was neat.”
Q: Are you excited for Chiefs Night at the K with the Royals? On Travis Kelce throwing out the first pitch to redeem himself.
REID: “Yeah, he’s been working hard (laughter).”
Q: Have you been coaching him up?
REID: “I think Pat (Mahomes) has. Pat’s been on him. He’sworking hard at it. I think you’re going to get a better performance this time. He can throw now; it’s just getting it straight there.”
Q: So much of Kadarius Toney’s time here has been keeping him healthy. How has he been feeling and looking?
REID: “Yeah, no, he’s doing good. It’s good to have him out there. I think he’s having fun and developing a relationship there with everybody, and the quarterback in particular.”
Q: You mentioned the excellent food at the White House. Can you elaborate on the spread at all?
REID: “Yeah, they did have some good stuff. I’ve never had this before, but they had a French Toast grilled cheese and ham sandwich that they sprinkled a little bit of powdered sugar on. It was phenomenal. There was an abundance of this. Then they had chicken fingers – exotic chicken fingers. Maybe the best part was, which I hadn’t seen before, little bite-size squares of the heart of the watermelon. My hat went off to the chef. I went back and talked to him and I just go “You guys are unbelievable.” Whoever cut all of that out, had the patience to do it, my hat goes off to them.”