Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid Quotes
August 29, 2025
OPENING STATEMENT: “All right, so we look forward to the challenge of playing the Chargers. It's obviously, it's in Brazil. We look forward to traveling south there and having an opportunity to play internationally. It's quite a privilege. So, we're kind of rounding the team out now as we put all the pieces together for (a) practice squad. And then finalizing that part of it so we can get underway. Today is an off day for the players and very similar to a Monday. And then we'll start a normal week here starting tomorrow and get ourselves ready to travel on Wednesday. And then Thursday we'll have a walkthrough down in Brazil there. And then you play on Friday. So, we're one week away from it. We’re again looking forward to putting this week together here. Anyways, I don't have any injuries. Jalen (Royals) continues to work to get himself better. Yeah, there's – we'll see how it goes, I mean it'll be a, it'd be a real rush for this week for sure. So, it doesn’t look like he'll probably make (it) this week, but should be ready to go as we go down the road here. So anyways, with that time is yours.”
Q: Are there any more little details that you're trying to implement into the team to make the game in Brazil as routine as possible?
REID: “Sure. So, if you take tomorrow and just pretend like it's a Tuesday, today would be a Monday, tomorrow’s a Tuesday, or we'll go through the week off of that type of a schedule, and then we'll just block out that Wednesday as a travel day. I mean, it's a ten-hour plus trip there. So that one we’ll just give to the airlines. And then we'll go ahead and pick it back up on Thursday down there and do the walkthrough part of it. And then the rest of it will stay consistent. We'll try to keep the times consistent. There's only a two-hour difference. So, we should be able to keep things, you know, relatively consistent going forward.”
Q: On JuJu Smith-Schuster stepping up and filling in for Rashee Rice.
REID: “Yeah. Well, JuJu (Smith-Schuster) had a great camp and is and I mean he mentioned (it to) you guys, he's in the best shape he's been in in a long time. So, he feels very good, and we have a lot of trust in him. But most of all, Patrick (Mahomes) has a lot of trust in him. So yeah, no he can fill in that that role for sure. And then you've got a healthy Hollywood (Brown) that can play for you and Ty (Tyquan Thornton) came out and had a good camp for us. So, you know he's another one.”
Q: What was your reaction and thoughts to hearing Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s engagement?
REID: “Yeah, Jesse (Newell) listen, I'm happy for them. You know – it’s hard to find somebody that you fall in love with, and that's not an easy thing, and to really fall in love. And it seems like they're there and I think it's a great, great deal for both of them. And they like being around each other and you know, that’s a plus, I think. They're both busy people in their own right. And both are very famous in their own right. So, it's kind of neat to see that they come together and handle themselves the way they do.”
Q: Since we last chatted with you, Rashee Rice’s suspension has been made official. What's just been the process of preparing for both scenarios, particularly Week 1?
REID: “Yeah, Sam (McDowell), you know, we had an idea that something was going to happen, whether it was now or later, it doesn't necessarily matter, but something was going to happen and it would probably be around that six game area. And so, we went about business full steam ahead (and) rotated guys in. Everybody got a chance to play that will have an opportunity to play here. And so, I think it was good for Rashee (Rice) to get the practice in, he'll be away for three weeks, and then he’ll be back in the building after that, to be able to work out here and just do everything but not practice so, and then we'll get him back in the – after six weeks. But we've got guys that are capable of playing here that, we just have to go out and do it. Not that you don't miss, Rashee. I mean, he's a heck of a football player, but we have, we have other guys that are good players, too.”
Q: What stands out about the camp that Rashee Rice did have though?
REID: “Yeah, he had a real good camp who kept himself in the right frame of mind of where he could work. He wasn't moping around. Stayed positive. He's trying to do the right things, first of all, I've mentioned somewhere that you know, Rashee’s (Rice) got a real good heart. You know, it's unfortunate that it happened. Thank goodness people weren't hurt obviously, but lesson learned. And you move on and try to, try to move ahead. You know, in a positive manner. And so far, he's done a nice job with that.”
Q: On the impact of game planning when trying to figure out if Rashee Rice is suspended.
REID: “Yeah, sure, and I think we were okay with it because of the rotation that we had going, we were prepared for it. We don't have to change a lot of things moving forward and what we put in the game plan. As far as their part goes, you know, last year, our first game against them, they were missing one of their big players on defense. You know they made their adjustments that they need to make in life, life moved on. So, they're familiar with how to handle situations like this too. In the NFL, Soren (Petro), as you know man, you got to be ready for change. Changes happen rapidly and whether it's an injury or a suspension or some of that, or you gotta be ready to go and still play at a high level. So our guys are excited to play and keep going on this thing.”
Q: Does this travel situation bring out the best in teams?
REID: “Yeah, I think it’s a little bit of a frame of mind. I think if you say you're being honored to actually do this, because you're doing well, that's the way you approach it. It's an honor to have an overseas game and to be able to go to Brazil. And then as opposed to, ‘oh my gosh, what are they giving us?’ You know that attitude didn't get you anywhere. So, you take the schedule and you turn that same thing into a positive. Plus, to play these teams – some of these teams, well most of them in this league are just tremendous football teams and the parity and it's crazy. So, it really doesn't matter who you're playing or really when you're playing, you just take in and you roll. They're doing the same thing you're doing.”
Q: What’s the key to setting a tempo in the first week and month of the season?
REID: “Yeah, well, it’s always good to come off and get a good start for sure. I think all 32 of us (NFL teams) are trying to do that, (to) come out of the gates and play well. However, when they say – you use that O-line mastermind thing, and you say you’d better take every week as it’s own separate thing, and you better keep pounding as you go through the year. But you sure would like to come out and play well, I mean, for sure.”
Q: How long do you feel it takes for a team to build an identity?
REID: “Yeah, normally it takes a couple of weeks, Nick (Jacobs). And I think that’s probably for most teams. Now we’ve got a lot of guys coming back, so maybe that cuts it down a little bit. But just to get yourself in rhythm and now you’re taking it up a notch from what you were doing in training camp. And so sometimes you (have) got to work through that just a tick, but it should be okay there.”
Q: What’s your anticipation level for Josh Simmons playing left tackle in a regular season game?
REID: “Yeah, Todd (Leabo), I think we just let him (Josh Simmons) go, get him out here, (and) let him get this experience going forward. This group’s (Los Angeles Chargers) got two good defensive ends, and so it’ll be a nice challenge for him. And I’ll probably be saying that every week through the season here, but it’s his first year, so there are going to be things that he hasn’t seen before, and he’s got to fight through that. But he’s a talented kid and he’s willing – he wants to do well, and he has worked very hard. He’s worked very hard to get himself into this position right here to be the starter. I told you after training camp, my hat goes off to the kid. He didn’t miss a day, from the time he started in the OTAs (and) throughout this camp where he’s tried to bear down. There’ll be some things in there, some hiccups in there, I’m sure, but he sure is willing to play.”
Q: On Kinglsey Suamataia.
REID: “Yeah, I know Kinglsey (Suamataia) has worked very hard this offseason. He feels comfortable in there at that spot (left guard), but I’ll tell you it’s new (for him) and there’s going to be things in there. He seems to be working well with Creed (Humphrey) and Josh (Simmons), but again this is a good defense (Los Angeles Chargers), (they were) one of the top defenses in the league last year, and now they’ve got to step into that and play good football. And so that’s what we’re going to practice each week here, and hopefully the continuity continues to grow there with the three of them (Kingsley Suamataia, Josh Simmons, Creed Humphrey).
Q: Do you have to prepare the team for international games emotionally, or do you let them rely on their experiences to get them through the game?