Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid Quotes
January 23, 2025
OPENING STATEMENT: “Alright, no injuries to mention so I’ll turn it over to you guys.”
Q: Do you have a sense of how hard it is to keep doing what you’re doing against so many good teams?
REID: “I have a lot of respect for the teams that we’ve had a chance to play so we’ve been fortunate to be able to get to this level. There’s a small margin between winning and losing in the National Football League so again, we’re fortunate to be here although a lot of hard work has gone into it from all of our guys.”
Q: On the Bills rushing attack.
REID: “They’ve been running the ball very well. They have two good running backs, and they have a quarterback that can run. They ran it, I want to say 35 times last week, so I’m sure they’re going to continue to utilize that, they’ve been doing that this year. Then, at the same time, he (Bills QB Josh Allen) can throw the ball, too and he throws it well. So, as far as our gameplan goes, we’re going to play what we do and go with it. Sometimes Pat (Patrick Mahomes) takes off and runs and sometimes he doesn’t need to.”
Q: Patrick Mahomes didn’t have many rushing attempts last time you played the Bills. Was that something unique that they did last time compared to other games?
REID: “Yeah, they spied him last time. They did a good job of that – although we didn’t have runs called at that time, we just had throws. I thought you were comparing the two (quarterbacks). They have called runs for their quarterback, that’s not what we (do).”
Q: Buffalo is really good at forcing turnovers. What makes them so good at taking the ball from the offense?
REID: “They’re (the Bills) one of the best in the league, if not the best (at forcing turnovers). Their turnover ratio is right at the top, so they do a good job of – whether it’s stripping the ball and/or intercepting the ball, the guys have good skill on the back end, along with the linebackers. They have a good scheme that gives them the opportunity to do that.”
Q: What are the keys to getting to Bills QB Josh Allen and getting him on the ground?
REID: “He’s (Bills QB Josh Allen) tough to get down. I’d tell you what I’d probably tell you every week is that you have to stay disciplined and stay in your (rush) lanes and then you go from there. Once you have ahold of him, you better know he’s tough to bring down so you better finish it (the tackle).”
Q: On teams differing during the coin toss.
REID: “I don’t know – I know what it is over the last 10 years or so, so it’s been very consistent. If you’re going to take me back 25 years, I might not have that stat for you, but I know teams are fairly consistent with that – with differing. Then, having that opportunity to work to drive (down the field) that second half and get the ball.”
Q: Is it a part of the game calling and not just scoring, but also draining the clock?
REID: “You hope you finish (the half) with the ball, and then you hope to get to start it (the half with the ball) and get you an extra series in there. It’s about 50/50 right there on the good and the bad of it so it’s not a huge thing if you don’t get it.”
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes Quotes
January 23, 2025
QB PATRICK MAHOMES
Q: On the end of halftime in the Divisional Round against the Texans.
MAHOMES: “For me, it’s just you stay calm and you just kind of keep yourself warm. I think it affected me in my first AFC Championship Game with – we played the Patriots and the first drive, they had one of those super long drives and you give them the field and you want to make – you want to score two touchdowns with one play but all can you do is just go about your process, stay warm, stay patient and when you get on the field, just maximize the opportunity.”
Q: What is the attitude of the team right now?
MAHOMES: “I think guys are ready to go. We had a good day at practice yesterday and you get the base install in, guys get a feel of the game plan. You go out there and execute fast and you have third down today. It’s just about getting everybody in the right positions to succeed and going out there and playing fast and I don’t think anyone’s making this too big of a moment. Everybody knows how big it is, but at the same time we go about our process.”
Q: Do you think that you may take some chances running the football if you need to?
MAHOMES: “I think just – you just play to win. I mean, there’ll be opportunities to run the football. They (the Bills) do a good job of spying the quarterback in certain situations, so you want to be able to use your feet, but at the same time, work within the pocket (and) find guys down the field. It’s the AFC Championship Game. You have to put it all on the line in order to win and try to get to the Super Bowl and this is a great football team we’re going up against, so I think all of us are going to go out there and give everything we have.”
Q: How do you guys talk about ball security internally and how do you prepare so that it doesn’t happen?
MAHOMES: “I mean, if you look at the NFL in general, I think it’s every team that’s won the ball security, won the turnover battle, has won the football game in the playoffs so far this year. That’s super important for us. Buffalo does a great job of it; I don’t think they’ve lost one (a turnover battle) the entire season so just trying to protect the football. When the defense gets opportunities, try to take the football away and then, just let the game come to you, don’t press and don’t try to do too much. It’s extremely important especially in the playoffs and especially when you go up against some of the best teams.”
Q: As you were watching the Bills and Ravens Divisional Round game, what are you thinking as a quarterback when Bills QB Josh Allen almost pitched the ball back on the goal line?
MAHOMES: “I think I saw it just as he (Bills QB Josh Allen) saw it, so it was probably the smart decision not to pitch it in that moment, but you didn’t want to take that creativity away from guys and that’s why we never said anything to Travis (Kelce). When you do it and it works, it works and it’s a good thing but if it’s not there, don’t do it.”
Q: Do you have any appreciation for the other really good AFC teams who don’t get to go to the AFC Championship every year?
MAHOMES: “I have extreme appreciation just for the process of getting here. I talk about that with some of the younger guys. I mean, some of these guys, all they’ve known is Super Bowls. I mean, obviously that’s a good problem to have but I like to – I make sure that they know and appreciate this moment and having this opportunity because it doesn’t happen every year. It seems like it’s happened every year here, but you don’t get this opportunity to play in these games and you never know when it’s going to be your last one. You have to go out there and maximize it and you do have appreciation because even though – even if when you win the Super Bowl, you start back at the bottom, you start back level with everybody and you have to go about your process and put in that work. It definitely is a battle every single year. Every season’s different and you just appreciate being in this game and you just try to find a way to maximize it and try to get to that next one.”
Q: On the experience in winning and losing the AFC Championship Game.
MAHOMES: “You just – it sucks losing, just as much as it’s awesome winning, it sucks losing. I mean, you just try to go out there and put your best foot forward. You try to do whatever you can to give everything you have on the football field and then you live with the results. At the same time, you just – you prepare through the week, you sacrifice things, you sacrifice time away from family to go out there and just be the best player and best teammate that you can be and then hope that that turns out into a win.”
Q: What message would you give Chiefs Kingdom?
MAHOMES: “I mean, Chiefs Kingdom is always – they’re always passionate, they’re always loud. I would just say let’s see if we can take it up a notch, let’s see how loud this place can really get. I always appreciate the support and the love that they show for us and so I’m just excited for another AFC Championship back at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.”
Q: How grateful are you for your off-the-field relationship with Josh Allen?
MAHOMES: “I mean, he’s (Bills QB Josh Allen) a good dude. I understand why his team plays so hard and how they leave everything on the line because they have a leader over there that goes out there and does that every single week. Whenever you go up against the best, it brings the best out of you. To go up against someone that you have a friendship with off the field as well, just like a brother or anything else, when you compete, you’re going to compete but when you’re off the field, you’re going to joke around and have fun, too. It’s a competition that both of us want to win but to know it’s another good dude on the other side of the field is always fun.”
Q: Did losing to the Bills in the regular season help you guys focus in and learn any lessons?
MAHOMES: “Yeah, I always believe losing can be either a positive or a negative. Obviously, (when) you lose a football game and that sucks, and you don’t have the undefeated season, but you learn from those mistakes, you learn where you can get better, and you use that to make yourself a better football team and a better player. Just learning from that game, going up against one of the best football teams in the NFL and losing, you find some of your weaknesses (and) you try to make those things better. Then, I think the most positive (thing is) I didn’t have to play Week 18, so that was probably the best for me.”
Chiefs Coordinator Quotes
January 23, 2025
ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR DAVE TOUB
Q: On Justin Reid.
TOUB: “He (Justin Reid) studies a lot of tape. He’s the main reason why we’re getting these blocks because he gets off – such a great get off on the edge and it makes everybody respond to that and it opens up gaps for Leo (Chenal) who is like a couple men down – a couple spots down from him. He studies tape, he watches the snapper’s movements. Could be a squeezing of the hand, it could be a dip of the hips, whatever it is to indicate that the snap is imminent. He has a great get off, I mean he was tied to the football just about, in that game – on two of them. It made a difference.”
Q: On Nikko Remigio.
TOUB: “He’s (Nikko Remigio) doing a really good job. I mean it’s been six weeks now he’s been up (on the active roster). Every week we’re getting more and more confident in him, punt return and kick return. He’s just been a pleasant – pleasant to have him do so well, it’s good to see it.”
Q: On Harrison Butker kicking with tough weather conditions.
TOUB: “He’s (Harrison Butker) a great manager of the wind. He understands the wind and how much – and (in) his pregame warmup he’ll try different stuff and figure that out. He kicks a lot of kicks pregame and by the time he gets to the game, he’s dialed in. Now sometimes the wind changes during the game that’s why you’ll see him periodically walk out on the field and check things. He’s always doing that. Total confidence in him, especially during the playoffs.”
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR STEVE SPAGNUOLO
OPENING STATEMENT: “Real quick, real proud of the way the guys played last week to get us to this point. (I) feel really blessed to be in this game, really honored to be in it. (I) thank God every day to be able to be working again this week. With that, I’ll open it up.”
Q: What is the biggest difference between playing the Bills in the regular season versus the postseason?
SPAGNUOLO: “Well, I don’t know we're not banking on that. I know one thing, when we went up there to play them this past year it felt like a playoff game. I think both teams approached it that way. We all know – we all talk about how the speed of the game goes up in these games (and) everyone’s focus goes laser focus. He’s (Bills QB Josh Allen) a premier threat in this league. We all know that, right? Not just with his arm but with his legs and how big he is. I mean I’m amazed every time I put the tape on. I was shaking my head this morning talking to the guys going, ‘How do you stop this guy?’ I made one comment to one of the coaches and said, ‘Now I know how other defenses feel that we play when they’re going against Patrick (Mahomes). They just do things that are uncanny (and) so talented.”
Q: What is the difficulty in stopping a team that doesn’t make a lot of negative plays?
SPAGNUOLO: “Yeah, I mean if you’re not going to get those kinds of plays to set things back, then to me it’s about not allowing the explosive plays. We had a couple of those last time we played them and that kind of gets things going when you know it’s going to be really tough to set them (Bills) back. Listen, not coach speak, but it is going to come down to the situational football. We need to be better in third down, we need to win in (the) red zone. We played good (in the) red zone last week and that made a big difference because they are going to move the football, we recognize that. They run the ball real well (and) they have an elite quarterback. So, some of that, you’re not going to stop everything, we’re not going to shut somebody down. We need to slow them down and try to win the situational downs.”
Q: What are the defensive rules for maintaining Bills QB Josh Allen?
SPAGNUOLO: “I wish I had a secret to that (laughter). Listen, in the course of the game – the best thing that can happen for us is that all eleven function as eleven. He’s (Bills QB Josh Allen) one of those guys – especially up front and if you’re talking about the four or five guys that we bring – they need to function as one because (if) he finds one little seam and if we have guys in man with their back turned I mean that’s where he – I’ll tell you he’s one of those guys, and you know, you have all seen it – he sees everything. I watched him this morning, a defensive play – I forget who they were playing, it looked like they put their leg out to trip the running back. He immediately was turning to the official, he saw everything. He’s just like Patrick (Mahomes). Their vision is just uncanny. I think he can sense and feel when there is an opening there and that’s what gets really challenging.”
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR MATT NAGY
Q: Going into the game regarding your running backs, are you looking to find a hot hand or do you like to switch it up no matter what?
NAGY: “There’s probably a little bit of that. As you get going, I think that’s probably real. I mean It’s a benefit that both of those guys – the thing that I love about both of those (guys), with (Isiah) Pacheco and Kareem (Hunt) is the fact that they are so competitive, both of them. They both also understand that this element of the game is critical so if a guy has a hot hand and has some great carries early on, maybe you stick with him, get the next guy in. The good part about that too is conserving energy (and) letting a guy go out there that is 100% every time he’s out there so there’s a nice balance to that.”
Q: What is it like game planning and going against Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s defense?
NAGY: “It’s not easy, I can tell you that. We get to go against him (Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo) in training camp and he presents a lot of different challenges. Schematically, it’s not easy. Like you just said Adam (Teicher), it’s something where the Bills and Chiefs have been going against each other for a while. So, player to player, coach to coach, there’s a little bit of that so the tendency part of it, you want to make sure that you’re good with your tendencies, unscouted looks, how do you handle that. Then, when you get out there too, it’s controlling the emotions. Not just as players but as coaches too, you have to be able to control your emotions and just stay within the game and understand that it’s two really good football teams going at it.”
Q: On Bills LB Von Miller.