OPENING STATEMENT: “Alright, so it’s good to get the guys back in here and going. This Phase 3 is – again, this is a voluntary camp (but) we’ve had great attendance throughout the Phase 2 and Phase 3 periods here. We have a couple people that are under the weather, so we were short a couple guys today but for the most part, it’s been very good. I’m not going to get into injuries and all of that bit, but I’ve been pleased with what I’ve seen from the guys and the effort they’re giving. For the young guys, they’ve been working their tail off. We’ve been loading them up with stuff and they seem to be able to retain it, which is a positive. Anyways, with that, the time’s yours.”
Q: What exactly are you looking for from the young players when you’re out there? Are you pleased with what you’ve been seeing?
REID: “Some of it is the retention part of it and then you get a chance to see skill. Now normally, they’re kind of crawling before they walk and walk before they run when they’re in that phase so it might not be as fast as what you’re going to see once you get to camp and as you work your way through camp but still, they’re doing a nice job for the most part.”
Q: What were your impressions of what Rashee Rice has been able to do during camp?
REID: “He’s (Rashee Rice) actually one of the guys under the weather so we kept him at home. In Phase 2, he was great. He just wasn’t able to go this week, so we kept him out and away from the guys.”
Q: Do you throw as much as you can at the young guys as possible or do you build up?
REID: “We go. We go and expect them to get on top of it. Normally, what you’re doing – it’s a little bit like camp where you’re installing plays today and then we ask them to go execute those plays. We try not to back up and go over the plays (that) we installed yesterday. At the same time, if you’re not doing your stuff at home before you get to the install meetings and reviewing then you’re going to have a problem once you get out there. It looks like these guys are taking – and there’s a method to that madness so they have to go home and develop some study habits with that, and they seem to be doing a good job with it.”
Q: What are you hoping to see out of a guy like Skyy Moore before the pads come back on in camp?
REID: “Just getting back in the swing of things but he looks like he’s (Skyy Moore) doing a good job so – moving around pretty good. He’s been accurate with everything and (he’s a) sharp kid.”
Q: How has Josh Simmons come along with his injury and how is he retaining stuff?
REID: “He’s (Josh Simmons) one that didn’t work this week, but he’s been doing everything up to that point. He’s actually further ahead than I thought he was, and we might actually be able to get – originally, we weren’t going to have in the Phase 3 part at all, other than the individual stuff. We’ve kept him out of the team stuff with that, but he did all of Phase 2 and he’s done a good job of what we’ve seen. We’ve just got to get him in with the defense against him.”
Q: What have you seen differently from Xavier Worthy in camp this year?
REID: “We can move him (Xavier Worthy) around a little bit more. He’s a smart kid (so) that gives you a little bit of flexibility there to not just line him up in a spot. We started doing that towards the end of the year (and) we’ll keep moving with that part. Then, he knows all the stuff so he can play fast and not do quite as much thinking.”
Q: What have you seen from Isiah Pacheco?
REID: “He (Isiah Pacheco) looks good. Physically, he looks real good. He’s put on a couple pounds of good weight. He got himself down there a little bit last year and leaned up but man, yeah, I think he looks tremendous right now.”
Q: How have you seen Patrick Mahomes and Chris Jones evolve as leaders for the young guys during voluntary camp?
REID: “We’ve had all the veteran guys – all the good leaders have been here. It’s good to have them there. When they’re there, it’s a certain energy that comes with it. Expectations from all the either new guys – free agent type or the college kids and they set a tempo with that.”
Q: How has Kingsley Suamataia been coming along after switching to guard? What makes him a better fit for the inside position?
REID: “We moved him (Kingsley Suamataia) there for that second Denver game, so I mentioned that was one of the positives – the only positive that came out of that game but I thought he did a nice job there so we’re moving him in there. Listen, (Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo) Spags runs a million different looks, so this is the best thing for him, to get in there and have a bunch of things thrown at him and he’s doing a nice job so far.”
Q: Do you consider left guard an open competition?
REID: “He (Kingsley Suamataia) and (Mike) Caliendo are working there and doing that.”
Q: What’s your impression of Jaylon Moore at left tackle?
REID: “Strong – strong kid, he’s (Jaylon Moore) smart but you can tell he’s compact and strong – it looks like to me, without him going live. It’s hard to do the o-line and d-line because they get to a contact point and they kind of pull off and do their thing. He looks like he’s a strong kid. He’s definitely smart – sharp kid.”
Q: What’s your thoughts on the schedule?
REID: “It’s good. It’s quite a tour.”
Q: On the 2025 schedule compared to the 2024 schedule.
REID: “Look, you’re playing all the teams. It doesn’t matter where you’re playing them, you have to play these guys. They’re doing the same thing we’re doing, playing on the same days we are, so we have to get ourselves ready and go. You only have so many weeks you can play, and you want to make sure you take advantage of that, so I don’t get caught up in all that. Whenever and whatever goes, we go.”
Q: Do you think Josh Simmons will be ready for the start of training camp?
REID: “I think for sure for camp. We might be able to get something out of him (Josh Simmons) in the team periods in Phase 3 here so that’s a positive. We weren’t expecting to be able to do that, but he’s really done a good job with his rehab stuff and the doctor that did his surgery did a nice job.”
Q: Where does Justyn Ross fit in the wide receiver room?
REID: “As long as he (Justyn Ross) stays healthy, and he’s out there, that’s a plus. I mean, he competes – you can argue (that) he had one of the best camps last year. It’s just a matter of keeping him upright and trying to work him in that mix of guys. He’s a big receiver that has real good hands and has done a nice job for us.”
Q: What’s the importance of rotating guys this time of year to see what you have?
REID: “I probably should’ve mentioned that earlier that we’re moving guys all over the place. Whether it’s the young receivers, whether it’s the DBs – linebackers so we’re just kind of fitting pieces in there like we normally do during the preseason time. Then, the offensive line, like I said, we’re moving those guys all over too. That pays off for you I think once you get going here. Trying to find the best people for those positions (and) what they do the best.”
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes Quotes
May 29, 2025
QB PATRICK MAHOMES
Q: Being in year nine now, how important is it for you and the veterans to set the tempo for the guys who are trying to learn the system?
MAHOMES: “It’s awesome to have the leadership that we have and to have guys like Trav (Travis Kelce) and Chris Jones who are still coming to OTAs and getting the work in. It kind of shows that the standard that we have here. We’ve kind of – we’ve been doing it all throughout the Spring as guys are working hard. You can tell they’re motivated to go out there and be even better this next year, so it starts here and I think guys understand that.”
Q: Since you’re turning 30 now, what is our view now compared to the beginning? How different does it feel?
MAHOMES: “First off, kids I feel like age you a little bit. Having three kids makes you grow up, but it’s been a fun run. We’ve had a lot of great players in this building, a lot of great people and so it makes it enjoyable to come to work every single day. I still have some guys with me that have been there the whole time and then adding new guys gives you a new juice and a new spirit to go out there and be even better. A lot of young guys now so just trying to relate to them as much as I can but at the same time, I’m still not 30 yet so I feel like I can for at least right now.”
Q: Do you feel a difference in your body now compared to when you were in your young 20s?
MAHOMES: “Not necessarily. I think more than anything I have a better understanding of my body, so I know what I need to get in, I know the extra amount of recovery stuff I need to do, how to feel my best on a day-to-day basis. I mean obviously I probably bounced back a little bit quicker when I was younger but at the same time, I have a better plan and a better standard that I hold myself to on a day-to-day basis so I can be ready for every single practice.”
Q: What’s your approach to mentoring young players?
MAHOMES: “I always want to meet the person first. So, it’s about getting to know the person and seeing what I can do to help them get better and help them push forward because it is hard. It starts with OTAs but going through training camp and going through a long NFL season is hard. You want the guys to know that you care about them, so you care about them as a person first. Then, you mentor them on the field by pushing them to be better every day.
Q: Generally, how long do you think it takes to get to know their personalities?
MAHOMES: “Once you get to St. Joe and you live in those dorms, you kind of – you start understanding each person more and more. It’s cool getting here at OTAs, being in the building, meeting the guys and kind of building that relationship on the field. Then when you get to training camp and the season, you really get to meet the person even more. That’s why – we always harp on it, but it is fun going to St. Joe and meeting all the new teammates and new free agents that you have.”
Q: What’s your biggest takeaway and focus when you lose a Super Bowl versus when you win one?
MAHOMES: “It’s hard. I feel like I focus every year because I know how special of a run that we’re on and how many years left I’ll have with all these great players and a great team, and every team is different and you don’t want to miss an opportunity. When you lose a Super Bowl, I think there’s sometimes in those workouts you might be a little tired, you have that extra, added motivation to finish even harder or finish even stronger. I think it’ll be good for us at the end of the day. I mean obviously looking back you want to win the game, but a lot of those guys hadn’t lost one. (They) hadn’t ended a season on a loss that are on this team now so I’m sure they’ll be motivated to go back out there and try to find a way to get to the Super Bowl and win it this year.”
Q: On Travis Kelce.
MAHOMES: “If it’s the last ride you would never know. The way he’s (Travis Kelce) talking about football, the way he’s talking about working and trying to be even better this year than he was last year. He’s not – he doesn’t seem like a guy that it’s his last ride like he’s tired of the job. He’s in there, he’s working and I know his body feels good. I think it feels better than even last year before going into the last season. Just because I think he’s motivated to go out there and have an even better year than he had this last (year).”
Q: What’s it going to be like to play against the Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day?
MAHOMES: “It’s going to be special. I’ve wanted to play at the Cowboys stadium obviously just because I haven’t had the opportunity to actually play in the game. My first year we were there, I was at the game, but I didn’t get to play. I’m growing up watching those games, going to those games – it was a special experience for me and my family so I’m excited to get everybody there. Then to play on Thanksgiving, if you’re in Thanksgiving in Texas, you’re watching the Cowboys play and so it’ll be a special moment. I know those ticket prices went up a little bit for me but other than that, it’s going to be cool to play on Thanksgiving, have the primetime, have that 3 o’ clock kick and be able to go out there and play in front of hopefully a lot of my friends and family.”
Q: Have you been to a Cowboys Thanksgiving game?
MAHOMES: “I haven’t been to a Thanksgiving game, but I obviously went to a lot of games growing up. I played there when I was in college so it’ll be exciting and my son’s birthday is the day after so hopefully we can find a way to win and then get to celebrate my son’s birthday after that.”
Q: What’s the importance of having Travis Kelce at OTAs?
MAHOMES: “It’s extremely important just because whenever you have – I always say this – whenever you have the guy that already has the gold jacket on, if it’s him (Travis Kelce) or Chris Jones and they’re working hard and they’re showing what it takes to be great, it’s easier for me to talk to the young guys and say like when they’re tired that they need to keep working, they need to keep pushing. They don’t need to be here, and they’re still going to go out there and have success on the field. They take care of their bodies and work hard in the offseason. For them to still show up and set that standard, it sets the standard for everybody else that’s going on the practice field.”
Q: What’d you learn about Xavier Worthy the last few weeks of the 2024 season?
MAHOMES: “I think the biggest thing I learned is – I mean I knew this but with more opportunities – he’s (Xavier Worthy) not just fast, he can make plays. You saw that with some of the contested catches that he made kind of towards the end of the season. If you think back to the Bills game or even the last catch he had in the Super Bowl. I mean he’s someone that will go up and make a play on the football and so my job is to give him more opportunities, even when he’s running with someone and it’s one on one, throw the ball, let him go up there and make a play. I think adding Hollywood (Brown) being healthier and then having Rashee (Rice) back out there is going to give him more and more opportunities to stretch the field down the field.”
Q: How excited are you to have Josh Simmons?
MAHOMES: “He’s (Josh Simmons) built like a left tackle, I think that’s the biggest thing you see. Obviously, we’re building him up coming off the injury, but he looks great. He’s moving well, he’s doing all the right things and he’s working extremely hard. Whenever I go by the training room, he’s in the training room working to try to get back on the field as quickly as possible. More than that, I think we just – (General Manager Brett) Veach and (Head) Coach (Andy) Reid and all those guys, they brought in competition. They want the guys to go out there and be the best they can possibly be and I’m excited for us to get to training camp and get to go against our defensive line which will be a really good defensive line. It’ll be a great test for those guys to kind of prepare for the season.”
Q: How does Rashee Rice look?
MAHOMES: “He looks like Rashee (Rice). I think having – obviously having the injury, it sucked. Happening so early in the season, he was back like right when the offseason started and so he was up here working hard – extremely hard and he was back home working extremely hard. I was throwing with him in Dallas a little bit and then getting him back out here, there’s no limitations. He’s out there playing, he’s making plays on the football field, he’s explosive, he looks fast. You saw the start of last season, I think he can be one of the best receivers in the league. Just to have him, to add with Xavier (Worthy) and Hollywood (Brown) and all these other guys that we have, it’s another position I think (General Manager Brett) Veach has done a great job of bringing in competition so that we can go out there and make a lot of plays happen.”
Q: On the wide receivers unit so far.
MAHOMES: “We’re fast. I think that’s probably the thing that stands out the most. You talk about Xavier (Worthy), Rashee (Rice), Hollywood (Brown), (Tyquan) Thornton, (Jalen) Royals coming in like we have guys that can roll. Our job is to test the defenses down the field, and we have to get back to doing that if we want to open up other guys underneath. I think (Head) Coach (Andy) Reid has challenged me this offseason to push the ball down the field, let guys have chances to make plays and then once we get that back to where we want to in our standard that we believe we should have, then we can come back to the underneath stuff.”
Q: What are your expectations for Skyy Moore this season?
MAHOMES: “His (Skyy Moore) job is to come in here and compete. Skyy is always one of the hardest working guys on the football field and whenever his number’s called, you see him go out there and he makes plays happen. Like I said, (General Manager Brett) Veach has brought in such great competition in that (wide receiver) room that you kind of go in with an open mind and you let guys go out there and compete and try to see who’s the best six, seven – five, six, seven, eight – whatever guys that is make the team. It’s all about competing and making each other better.”
Q: How much do you try to petition Head Coach Andy Reid to let you play flag football in the Olympics?
MAHOMES: “It’s awesome, honestly. Just to be able to showcase the NFL to the whole world through flag football, but I’ll probably leave that to the younger guys. I’ll be a little old by the time that thing comes around.”
Q: What does Isiah Pacheco going back to get his degree say about him?