KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Some of the Kansas City Chiefs fielded media questions Friday during a training camp presser. Following are their comments.
Chiefs Offensive Coordinator Eric Bieniemy
OPENING STATEMENT: “Good morning. We've had some guys competing their asses off in training camp. It's been a great ride so far. We've had some guys come off of injuries and contribute. Got a few players down, but you know what, we understand, hey, the next man is up. It's been a very competitive camp. Guys are having fun and I'm just enjoying the energy and the competition between both our units. It's been a lot of fun to be a part of, and it's just been fun to watch. So, with that said, any questions to start.”
Q: Yesterday, Coach Toub and Coach Madison shared with us that Andy Reid always allows his players to have open dialogue, even more so now with everything going on in the country. Being a former player, how much have you shared with some of the guys of your experiences, not only being a black athlete, but also as a black man on and off the field? And what are your thoughts on guys using their platform to spread awareness on social injustices in this country?
BIENIEMY: “First of all, Coach Reid has been the same ever since I've known him. Since playing for him in 1999, he was always that way. He wanted to allow guys to let their personality show. He wanted the true man to sit there and shine if he had something on his heart and on his mind. One thing with our players, they've done a hell of a job of just expressing to one another, having an open dialogue, and I'm very proud of the fact of what we're doing. It's about time that we start having voter registration talked about. How about kudos to Pat. Kudos to Tyrann, you know. How about having the back of the organization with Clark (Hunt), Mark Donovan, also with (Brett) Veach. It's just a testament to the environment that we have. And like I said, the chemistry here—and you guys have heard me say this before—it's a unique situation because the guys like each other. We may not always agree, but you know what? They find a way to respect one another and come together with a decision that's going to be best for the organization and for us moving forward.”
Q: Do you guys feel confident and where Clyde Edwards-Helaire is at with pass protection now, within two weeks to go until the regular season, that he’s going to be OK to protect Pat?
BIENIEMY: “Oh yeah. In fact, I’ll say this, Deland (McCullough) has done a hell of a job and I’ll tell you what, he has a great room of people to work with. So, Clyde is not only receiving some coaching from Deland, he's also received some coaching from the veterans, Sherm (Anthony Sherman), who's been helping him out tremendously. And then on top of that, you know we have a bunch of backs that have played a little while, so young Darrel Williams has been outstanding and helping him with his technique and just teaching him all of calls and the things he should expect versus coverages or just certain things that he’s seeing. So, am I going to say he's perfect? No, he's not perfect, but I've enjoyed watching the progress that he has made each and every day. Then, when you’ve got a kid that can explain to you why he made a mistake, that's when you know he's getting it. So, he's doing a heck of a job. I know he's going to do everything under the sun to help us to do better in what we need to, but also too, he understands the importance if you don't protect that damn quarterback, you can't play.”
Q: First, how has it been trying to see the players in the live atmosphere, knowing that you're not going to get a preseason game, and how do you make your decision on who makes the final cut? Then, there are NFL players who have talked about possibly boycotting the first game of the season. I don't know if the players are going to go to that extent, but if the players decide to take a knee, will you as an individual, as a Chiefs coach, along with your colleagues, take a knee with them?
BIENIEMY: “So, first of all to answer your question about training camp, our guys have done a heck of a job. It's been a little different due to the times that we’re living in due to the pandemic and everything. But the thing that our guys have done a heck of a job of is just improvising and adapting. One thing that we've learned here together collectively as a staff is to remain flexible. That's one thing that you have to be when you're coaching with Coach Reid. But also, our players have remained flexible and they've been poised under pressure, and they've adapted to the schedule, and they've caught on and they’ve excelled. They've been working their tails off. Like I said, it hasn't been perfect. There's no such thing as perfection, but one thing that we always want to do, we want to strive for perfection in order to achieve excellence. And I think our guys have the focus and the mindset to do it the right way. We’ve got plenty of vets who are guiding us and leading. Now, we're talking about what's going on in the world. I mean, there's a lot. I'm 51 years old this year. I've seen a lot. I've been around a lot. But here's the thing that I love that our guys are doing a great job of, there's nothing that gets me more excited than watching what Pat and Tyrann have done with the voter registration deal. I mean, that is outstanding. That is huge. That is a huge step in the right direction. We’ve got players donating money in the black community, making sure not only that their finances can make a change, but also being there. We have a number of guys who understand the difference between what's right and what's wrong. And I'm going say this again, we’ve got a bunch of guys on this team that like each other. They care about one another. We have a great culture and it starts from the top. It starts with a great owner in Clark Hunt, and it just trickles down. It trickles down to Mark Donovan giving guys a voice. It also trickles down to Brett Veach and the things that he does, making sure that these guys are confident in their actions and what they're doing and what they're saying. But also, more importantly, it's with Coach Reid allowing these guys to allow their personalities to show and understanding that regardless of what decisions that we're going to make, we're going to make them together. Those guys are going take care of that and we're going to support our players 120% in everything that they do.”
Q: You may not know all 32 owners, but what do you think makes Clark such a model representation for where the League should go in terms of ownership right now based on the things that have gone on? Then secondly, speaking of the voter registration, if the Chiefs are able to have Arrowhead Stadium be a place for people to vote, what emotions will that invoke in you?
BIENIEMY: “You ask the question about Clark, I mean, just look at the history. One of the original AFL teams. Look at the names of the people that were drafted here. A lot of those guys came from historical black colleges. A lot of those guys have represented themselves not only as excellent athletes on the field, but off the field as commendable citizens, and they’re in the Hall of Fame as well. So that says a lot, not only about Clark, but just the family that he's been a part of. And that's one thing that we appreciate, that the Hunts understand exactly what has been going on in this world because they've seen it. They've inherited it. And I guarantee you when Lamar Hunt was alive, bless his soul, during that particular time, I'm sure he experienced a number of things when he first started off with those particular players playing for his NFL team. So, that's what Clark has and Clark has lived through that. And what better person to be a role model? Then, as you talked about, trying to get the stadium here as a place where people can come and vote, that would be just historical. Why? I just remember growing up as a young kid, when I turned 18 there were two things I was going to do. Well, a few things. First of all, I had to get a job, I had to go to school, I was going to join the service. But on top of that, my mother told me, ‘Your ass is going to vote. You are going to vote because we fought for this right.’ And how about that? These guys have stood up. They said, ‘Hey, let's make this right. Let's make it where everybody can have an opportunity to come to the stadium and vote.’ I'm proud of the people that we have in this building, but I'm also proud of the people that have provided the light and the way for them so they can come out and be free to be who they are and speak freely to the world about what's going on and making a change.”
DE FRANK CLARK
Q: A common term you see is a lot of black men say that they’re exhausted, they’re tired. My question to you is simply are you tired? Are you tired of everything that you see, and have the sports kind of provided a little bit of a distraction for you?
CLARK: “Yes, I am. I’ve got a family. I‘ve got kids and they're going to be forced to learn about this stuff and I have to explain it to them at some point in their life, and that's the most difficult part. That's the most difficult part that I have to deal with—I can only speak for myself—because I know, one, that I’m going to have to explain this. They're going to ask and I have to explain it at some point where they understand, and that's the most difficult part because a lot of this stuff is going to be hard to keep it real and explain to them. I wasn't educated like I should have been, growing up on these things that were happening in the times in the past. You know, Rodney King and stuff like that. But it's just having to educate my kids on this stuff, and, you know, it's on the internet. This is a world where everything is on the internet now, so they’re going to be able to see it on the internet and see not just what's going on today, but things have been going on the last few years to be more specific.”
Q: Following up on that, a lot of guys on this team have sort of acknowledged the historical moment you guys are going to have to raise a banner on opening night, but also you're going to play the first major football game in the country since the Super Bowl. How much do guys understand the significance of what you guys are going to have in front of you less than two weeks from now?
CLARK: “I mean, some guys don't have a clue because most of them haven't played on the opening night. You’ve got guys that have stood in their roles and they come in and they play in big games, so it's going to be a lot of pressure on them. But to that, I can say that you have to just take it all in. You're coming off a good season where we won a Super Bowl—not as good as we should have started the season, but when you finish winning the Super Bowl, it kind of takes away all the bad. But we just want to start strong. We came off of last year starting kind of slow off the success they had the year before. Then, myself coming in with everything, all the distractions of getting paid or other stuff going on around with the injuries and stuff, me starting slow. Me being the player who I am and me knowing who I am, I can't afford to start slow because I know it can jeopardize the team. Then, with everybody else, just pushing our offense to get back. Not letting them get complacent and settling into that complacency thing. And then for us, it’s humbling ourselves. I understand now there’s more work to do. We understand that we have a great offense, but we want to be an even better defense—see some more flash, what happened towards the second half of that season rather than the first half.”
Q: What sort of conversations have you guys had as far as potential demonstrations or protests on opening night?
CLARK: “It's too early for that. There’s been conversations, of course, but there's been a lot of focus on football, too. We spent so much time away from this and dealing with it—this is something that we are going to continue to deal with. That’s what you have to understand. That's what I understand. Our country, if they think that another black man isn't going to get killed by a police officer, I feel like everyone is confused. If we don't think that it's going to happen again and continue to happen, then we’re confused. It's just at this point, we have to do something about it. And like you said, it's just—we're going to be confused. This is just crazy, you know.”
CB RASHAD FENTON
Q: What parts of your game do you feel have come a long way since the end of last season? Do you feel like there are some areas of your game that you've really worked on and tried to improve and it shows in training camp?
FENTON: “Of course, just more so just learning the defense. Getting a better grasp of the defense and how everything is flowing, not just my parts but also the other players I'm on the field with.”
Q: In light of everything that's been going on with not only the Jacob Blake shooting, but everything else that has happened, there's the common expression going around that everyone says that “I'm exhausted. I'm tired.” How tired are you?
FENTON: “Too tired, you know what I mean? It's just the fact that can be my father, that can be my uncle, that can be me, you know what I mean, so just putting that into perspective of just treating everyone equal, man it – I don't know why it’s so hard, why it’s a discussion to get treated fairly.”
Q: You saw some action on defense last year. You saw some action on special teams. How do you feel your time on special teams helps you as you prepare to probably assume a bigger role this year?
FENTON: “Special teams helps me get my edge. It helps me feel out the energy. It just helps me defense wise in general. You got to start the game off and finish the game off with special teams. So being on that special teams, you're special and it just helps me, like I don't know, it just brings out more fuel after you did a special teams rep or just did anything special teams wise. It's great.”
Q: When you were in college and a lot of this, the demonstrations and things first started in the National Football League with Colin Kaepernick, what were your thoughts about that and evolving your thoughts on those things as you become a pro? What do you think is going to happen when you guys hit the field on that Thursday night against the Texans?
FENTON: “You know, I am a young player so, Mr. Kaepernick was demonstrating those type of things and I was at the University of South Carolina and there were some things going on there as well. They still had the Confederate flag at the State House when I was a freshman there at Carolina, so it was a real eye opener. I'm coming from Miami, Florida, where it's a really diverse place, it’s a melting pot. Everyone treats each other equally there and that's how I was born and raised. You’re down there, it's hard to point fingers at anyone because your parents weren’t even born here, you know what I mean so it just goes to say whatever you want to represent. It’s a free country man, I can't hate one man for being different to me or demonstrate anything different if that's what you feel you need to express yourself on as a man, you should be able to do so without any judgement. That should just go a long way and just to go somewhere with us, I feel like this team is good – it’s a unity, we are the brotherhood and everything we’re doing – we stick in strong with what's going on in society, so I feel like everything that just goes smoothly here, it won't be too much of a chaos here, I don't think. We all have the same vision here.”
Q: We had an opportunity to talk to Sam Madison and he said that coming into camp you knew that you'd be more of a dual guy inside, outside. You played a lot of inside last year. You're going to be a critical part of this team considering you're doing both things. Just how has that gone this training camp? What's made you feel confident that you'll be able to pull that off going into the regular season?
FENTON: “It’s going good. My coaches prepared me for this moment, you know. I mean, don't get me wrong, offseason wise of course, I had to take things into my hands this offseason. But, just like last year man when my number is called, I'm going to do my job well done from Miami, Florida. I'm prepared for whatever the coaches have for me whenever my number gets called, I’m going to be ready to do it to the best of my ability. That's all I can do.”
P TOMMY TOWNSEND
Q: How has training camp gone and what makes you think you're ready for your first professional opportunity here?
TOWNSEND: “Yeah, training camp's been awesome so far. I mean it's super exciting. I mean, it's my rookie season, rookie training camp and obviously it's not how I would have expected my rookie training camp to go as far as you know, like the COVID precautions and stuff like that, you know our staff’s been doing a great job of keeping us socially distance and keeping everybody safe. But yeah, no training camps been going great and I'm really excited to get it going for the season.”
Q: What have you learned about social injustice in the discussions the team has? Has it been eye opening for you?
TOWNSEND: “Yeah, definitely. The biggest thing for me I think is just listening and learning from my teammates. You know, it's always good to step back and learn and I think that's been something that's been happening a lot recently and our vets and team leaders have been doing a great job of bringing awareness and doing everything we can to start moving forward and create change. So, you know that's something I'm looking forward to. Just, you know, keeping this, the discussions going and just continuing to learn.”
Q: From an outsider's perspective, it seems like the punter’s job making the transition from college to the NFL doesn't really change all that much, but you're living it right now. What does change when you make this next step here?
TOWNSEND: “The biggest thing is scheme. In college we usually have spread punts, but you know, we were using the pro punt formation so it's just a bit different. I mean I'm used to having shields and a couple O-Linemen as blockers, seven yards in front of me and now it's a little bit more open. And also, you know just the speed of the game. Everybody in the NFL, super talented and you know they're great players and they play hard. So, I think that's the biggest difference is just talent all across the board, it's just tremendous. So, it's just just being ready and staying on my toes.”
Q: How important has it been for you to work with James Winchester and Harrison Butker and developing that relationship and some of the things that you're benefiting from and learning from those guys?
TOWNSEND: “That's been the biggest thing is just learning from them. You know, they're both veterans in the NFL now. They've been super successful in what they do, so it's just sitting back and learning as much as I can when I can. I mean, I talked to James everyday about what stuff that I can do differently when punting and same thing with talking to Harrison. Just trying to figure out what I can do to help him out the most and help him and make him the most successful kicker he can be. So yeah, it's just a process of continuing to learn, like I said, as a rookie, so I'm excited to keep progressing and keep moving forward and take it into the season.”
--CHIEFS--