Chiefs Coordinator Quotes
August 5, 2025
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR MATT NAGY
Q: How excited do you think Patrick Mahomes is for this upcoming season, with potentially more pass protection and a healthy wide receiver group?
NAGY: “He’s (Patrick Mahomes) really excited. He’s motivated in the right way. That’s just how he is, it’s who he is. He doesn’t want to – we spend a lot of time in OTAs going back to the basics on a lot of stuff. We’re graduating now with these wide receivers, working on that timing, and I think you’re seeing a trust element with him with several guys and then you’ll get to see some of that too with these guys in the preseason. We’ll get some people that stand out and get to show what they can do. Every year we probably say the same thing with Pat, but he creates a known edge for him. He wants to be great. He wants to be the best and he wants to be coached hard. So, that what we’re trying to do.”
Q: On Patrick Mahomes’ mentality and burn to win.
NAGY: “Yeah, that burn to win is at the highest level of probably any player in the NFL. He’s (Patrick Mahomes) built different that way, and I think when you have that it goes on to these other players on the team, offensive, defense, special teams, and us as coaches. You want to make sure you are doing everything possible. He’s a competitor. So, every game is going to be close. When you have him on your side, you know he’s going to give you a great chance. That’s where he’s at. So, when we lost that Super Bowl (LIX), it was the very next day and he was ready to go and we just know that it’s a great, high standard that we all have and (Head) Coach (Andy) Reid is at the top of that. So, it’s been good.”
Q: How excited are the guys for this first preseason game and will there be any changes to the way you prepare?
NAGY: “No changes for the practice prep. The excitement is there. These guys are going against each other every day now for the past couple of weeks, so they get to go live, which is number one phenomenal for them. It gets to become real (and) you get to see some different looks on defense, and then these guys are all competing for spots. It’s a great competition I mean, even when our guys go out there, no matter whether you are Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, or someone towards the bottom end of the roster working for a spot, it’s such an important time for these guys. We as coaches want to put them in the best position possible by letting them play fast. If we let them play fast, they can show us what they have, so it’ll be fun. We want to go there and try to do everything to win.”
Q: How are Jaylon Moore and Jawaan Taylor handing the competition at the right tackle position and how would you evaluate it?
NAGY: “Handling it great. Both (Jaylon Moore and Jawaan Taylor) true pros. I like what they are doing on tape. Again, Jawaan has been here for a few years now, so the mental side of just hearing the cadences and kind of knowing the scheme is great. I love where he is at mentally right now. He’s a competitor – these guys like to compete. It’s what they know all of their life. So, for both of them to be able to be out there and just compete, I think they’re handling it great. So, I love where they are at.”
Chiefs Player Quotes
August 5, 2025
LB JEFFREY BASSA
Q: On learning from the other linebackers.
BASSA: “I’ve learned, truthfully, a lot from those guys (linebackers). Especially Drue (Tranquill) in the mix as well. So much knowledge and so much game because they have been in the game for such a long time and (have) been in (Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo) Spags’ defense for a long time, so for them to spill some knowledge on things that I can improve on and things that they know I’m not seeing, I take a lot – kinda have to take a step back and open your eyes and see the bigger picture in what they are trying to say. You gotta listen to the message not the tone. I appreciate a lot of those guys for spilling some of the knowledge and game that they got.”
Q: What has Steve Spagnuolo been challenging you with this camp?
BASSA: “Really learning both positions, the MIKE and the WILL. Really trying to cross train, so when it comes to a situation where he (Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo) can get me in (the game) at either position. I feel like I have been doing a great job at that as well. The fact that I’m learning two positions and now that I’m going to be able to – later on in my career learn the backend and learn the full front. I feel like it’s going to be a good job and it’s going to help me in the long end but really haven’t gotten too much into second team, third team or mixing in with the first team, that’s not what I’m really worried about right now. Really just worried on fully knowing the playbook and being confident enough coach can put me out with whoever.”
Q: On what Nick Bolton learned about him by watching rookie minicamp footage.
BASSA: “It really started off rip, just like you said when he (Nick Bolton) watched that tape it was kind of like ‘ok, why did you call this, and you could’ve did this to the front.’ It could’ve been a small adjustment that I missed, but then that is something that he (Nick Bolton) would’ve done. After I already watched some tape, now from his corrections I can go back and be like ‘ok, I’m seeing what he’s seeing now.’ So little things like that where it wasn’t too many glaring errors, but it was more so like ‘ok you could’ve did this to the front or when they motion here, you should bump to this alignment instead of this alignment.’ Just little things like that.”
TE ROBERT TONYAN
Q: How much had you heard about the long drive drill before camp, and what is it like to experience it?
TONYAN: “I just heard about it from Trav(is) (Kelce) and Noah (Gray) kind of over just the past couple (of) years. But to be in it, like experiencing it; we did a little bit of it in OTAs, and that was cool. We had the pads off, but when you get in the St. Joe heat and you get rolling, and you’re actually out there for 10 straight plays, you feel it. But you’re not going to feel anything more game-like than that long drive drill.”
Q: What do you want to show in the preseason game?
TONYAN: “Yeah just that I’m consistent. I’m gonna make plays. Like I said, I want to get better every day, and then those games are a great opportunity to do so. Yeah, I’m just going to keep grinding it out. Like I said, like this is an (Head Coach) Andy Reid camp, (you) just keep on grinding. If you make full speed mistakes, don’t make them twice and then just make plays and keep grinding.”
Q: On the experience of playing with Patrick Mahomes.
TONYAN: “Just like I said, the throws he (Patrick Mahomes) makes, it’s just incredible. You know the windows he’s fitting them (throws) in, and the anticipation, and like I said the command in the huddle is just awesome. He’s super confident in there; I mean, this is year nine for him as well, so again like nine years in this offense is - and doing the way he’s doing it, commanding an MVP Super Bowl type (of) champion. So, yeah, I’m pumped for that.”
S MIKE EDWARDS
Q: On return to the Chiefs.
EDWARDS: “I mean, look at the organization. Anybody would be excited to play for this organization, so any time I get a chance to play here, I mean, I love it. My one year I was here - sadly enough, I had to go away. I went away, but (I’m) glad to be back. And like I said, it’s a big thing being a part of the Chiefs, so I love being here.”
Q: Do you appreciate the “long-drive drill” more, now that you’ve done it before or do you dread it more?
EDWARDS: “It’s tough. I feel like the second time around you kind of know what to expect, so it’s not – I wouldn’t say it’s not as hard, because it’s going to be hard, but you kind of know what to expect. So, it’s not as challenging, I guess. But it’s still tough.”
Q: Are you excited for the first preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals?