Salina Public Schools Salina Public Schools’ (SPS) Superintendent Linn Exline has announced she is retiring at the end of the 2024-25 school year. At its regular meeting on December 10, the board of education accepted her resignation and began to discuss how they will move forward with filling the superintendent position.

“On behalf of the Board of Education and as a former student, I thank Mrs. Exline for her dedicated service to Salina Public Schools and her community,” said Gabe Grant, board president. “In each post she has held in the district, it has been clear that Linn’s goal is to make Salina Public Schools the best place to learn and work. From leading a community-wide effort crafting a new, cohesive vision and mission at the start of her superintendency to introducing initiatives to increase student success and supporting teachers in the classroom, Mrs. Exline leaves us on a path of continuous improvement as we look to the future and begin the search for a new leader. I am so excited for Linn and her family as they embark on a new chapter of life.”

Exline was raised in Salina, graduated from SPS and committed her entire 33-year career in education to USD 305. Her leadership reached beyond managing the internal workings of the school district; she aligned the district with community expectations, always with a clear focus on what is best for the students. During 15 Strategic Plan Listening Sessions, she collected more than 3,000 comments from community members, staff and students. These insights formed the foundation for a new vision, mission statement, and strategic goals adopted by the SPS Board of Education in 2020.&nbsp;

After the listening sessions ended, Exline continued the face-to-face conversations through SPS Coffee Chats with staff, students and community members.&nbsp;

Under her leadership, the district received a Gold Medallion award in 2023 and a Golden Achievement award in 2024 from the National School Public Relations Association. Exline is on the Saline County Health Advisory Council, is a board member of the Kansas/Missouri Superintendent Forum and is a member of the Kansas Commissioner of Education’s Superintendent Advisory Council. She delivered multiple community and state-level presentations and participated in Leadership for Tomorrow (2022-23) and Business Operations Leadership Development (2021-22) programs. Over the last two years she has collaborated with a small group of Kansas superintendents to lead a statewide Did You Know campaign to raise awareness about public schools in Kansas. The lawsuit filed against the federal government for remediation of contaminants left behind from Schilling Air Force Base was resolved during Exline’s tenure as superintendent.

She received the Kansas Thespians Conference Administrators Award in 2013, was recognized for her educational leadership by the Kansas Association of Secondary School Principals Area III in 2012 and was selected as USD 305 Elementary Teacher of the Year in 1995. Her career with USD 305 included roles as executive director of school improvement (teaching and learning), high school principal, director of staff development and accreditation, elementary principal, math and science K-12 curriculum specialist and elementary teacher.

Despite the increasing complexities of a school superintendent's role, Exline's decisions have always been guided by one principle - what is in the best interest of the students. Her vision and leadership have established positive momentum in the district that will ensure its continued success in years to come.

“As the Board of Education maps out the search process for our next Superintendent, the Board and Mrs. Exline will continue our focus on our respective roles in leading the district,” said Grant. “What our faculty and staff do every school day in every classroom in Salina Public Schools has incredible energy behind it. I speak for my fellow board members when I say we look forward to naming our new leader and not missing a beat in our work, making our community’s vision for Salina Public Schools being the best place to learn and work a reality.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691172321887.jpeg" alt="Linn Exline" />
 <figcaption>Linn Exline</figcaption>
 </figure>Salina Public Schools Salina Public Schools’ (SPS) Superintendent Linn Exline has announced she is retiring at the end of the 2024-25 school year. At its regular meeting on December 10, the board of education accepted her resignation and began to discuss how they will move forward with filling the superintendent position.“On behalf of the Board of Education and as a former student, I thank Mrs. Exline for her dedicated service to Salina Public Schools and her community,” said Gabe Grant, board president. “In each post she has held in the district, it has been clear that Linn’s goal is to make Salina Public Schools the best place to learn and work. From leading a community-wide effort crafting a new, cohesive vision and mission at the start of her superintendency to introducing initiatives to increase student success and supporting teachers in the classroom, Mrs. Exline leaves us on a path of continuous improvement as we look to the future and begin the search for a new leader. I am so excited for Linn and her family as they embark on a new chapter of life.”Exline was raised in Salina, graduated from SPS and committed her entire 33-year career in education to USD 305. Her leadership reached beyond managing the internal workings of the school district; she aligned the district with community expectations, always with a clear focus on what is best for the students. During 15 Strategic Plan Listening Sessions, she collected more than 3,000 comments from community members, staff and students. These insights formed the foundation for a new vision, mission statement, and strategic goals adopted by the SPS Board of Education in 2020.&nbsp;After the listening sessions ended, Exline continued the face-to-face conversations through SPS Coffee Chats with staff, students and community members.&nbsp;Under her leadership, the district received a Gold Medallion award in 2023 and a Golden Achievement award in 2024 from the National School Public Relations Association. Exline is on the Saline County Health Advisory Council, is a board member of the Kansas/Missouri Superintendent Forum and is a member of the Kansas Commissioner of Education’s Superintendent Advisory Council. She delivered multiple community and state-level presentations and participated in Leadership for Tomorrow (2022-23) and Business Operations Leadership Development (2021-22) programs. Over the last two years she has collaborated with a small group of Kansas superintendents to lead a statewide Did You Know campaign to raise awareness about public schools in Kansas. The lawsuit filed against the federal government for remediation of contaminants left behind from Schilling Air Force Base was resolved during Exline’s tenure as superintendent.She received the Kansas Thespians Conference Administrators Award in 2013, was recognized for her educational leadership by the Kansas Association of Secondary School Principals Area III in 2012 and was selected as USD 305 Elementary Teacher of the Year in 1995. Her career with USD 305 included roles as executive director of school improvement (teaching and learning), high school principal, director of staff development and accreditation, elementary principal, math and science K-12 curriculum specialist and elementary teacher.Despite the increasing complexities of a school superintendent's role, Exline's decisions have always been guided by one principle - what is in the best interest of the students. Her vision and leadership have established positive momentum in the district that will ensure its continued success in years to come.“As the Board of Education maps out the search process for our next Superintendent, the Board and Mrs. Exline will continue our focus on our respective roles in leading the district,” said Grant. “What our faculty and staff do every school day in every classroom in Salina Public Schools has incredible energy behind it. I speak for my fellow board members when I say we look forward to naming our new leader and not missing a beat in our work, making our community’s vision for Salina Public Schools being the best place to learn and work a reality.”

Salina Public Schools Superintendent Linn Exline announces retirement

Get ready for a night of country music nostalgia as The Frontmen, featuring former lead singers Larry Stewart (Restless Heart), Richie McDonald (Lonestar), and Tim Rushlow (Little Texas), take the stage at the Stiefel Theatre on Saturday, March 8 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets start at $49 and go on sale Friday, Dec. 13 at 10 a.m. Purchase them in person at the Stiefel Theatre Box Office, online at <a href="http://www.stiefeltheatre.org">stiefeltheatre.org</a>, or by calling 785-827-1998.

They have 30 No.1 hits, have sold 30 million albums and are the soundtrack to every Friday night honkytonk, first kiss and broken heart for the last 30 years. Fans sing the words to every song in every set – and while many people have yet to know their name, just about everybody can sing their songs.

THE FRONTMEN – comprised of three former lead singers, Larry Stewart (Restless Heart), Richie McDonald (Lonestar) and Tim Rushlow (Little Texas) – is country music's hottest new supergroup. The men have already mastered the stage, succeeded on radio and nightly take sold-out audiences on a rollercoaster of 90’s nostalgic smash hits then transcend their past hit parade with fresh new and original songs that are unmistakably THE FRONTMEN today! The group recently put their massive catalog of hits to work, including "The Bluest Eyes in Texas," "Amazed” and "God Blessed Texas," on tour with Alabama and kick-started the Harley-Davidson crowd in Deadwood, South Dakota, at the 81st Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

"The thing about the three of us is we are better together than each of us was by ourselves," McDonald said. "The beauty of the show is that people can come and just sit there for two hours and go, 'I sang along with every single song. I loved every one of them.'”

“There is a common thread that runs through the songs we have all recorded over the years that just fits like a glove,” Rushlow added. “It is quite powerful and certainly is the soundtrack to all of our lives.”

THE FRONTMEN's magic formula harkens back to some of the biggest Rock groups of the 60’s and 70’s like The Doobie Brothers, Fleetwood Mac and The Eagles where multiple lead singers like Joe Walsh, Glenn Frey and Don Henley have separate careers but join to together to create a sum bigger than its parts. They are a new act with a fresh sound but also an arsenal of hits.

Tony Conway, manager of Alabama, had this comment about the group: “The Frontmen is a group of some of the best voices in the history of Country Music. Larry, Tim, Richie have each been responsible for some of the greatest songs ever released. When you take their stellar vocals on hits from Restless Heart, Little Texas and Lonestar and put them together on one stage, you have the originals along with being the best of the best, and a new supergroup in the world of country music.”

"We have a great time," Larry Stewart says. "There's no egos. We just enjoy doing it. It's easy for us to work together. We know what to expect. It must've been meant to be.”

Stewart's Restless Heart launched in 1984 with their self-titled debut album and went on to collect eight No. 1 hits and sing-along favorites, including "The Bluest Eyes in Texas," "I'll Still Be Loving You," "Why Does It Have to Be (Wrong or Right)," "Wheels," "Fast Movin' Train" and "A Tender Lie." They were named Top Vocal Group by the Academy of Country Music in 1989.

Rushlow's Little Texas kicked off in 1991 with Top 10 hits "Some Guys Have All the Love” and "First Time for

Everything," then followed up with its debut album of the same name. Subsequent hits include "God Blessed Texas," "Kick a Little," "My Love," "What Might Have Been" and "Amy's Back in Austin." Little Texas won the Academy of Country Music's Top Vocal Group in 1993. 

McDonald joined Lonestar in 1992, and the group achieved nine No. 1 songs, including: "No News,” "Come Cryin' to Me," "What About Now," "I'm Already There," "My Front Porch Looking In," "Mr. Mom” and "Amazed" -- an eight-week No. 1 song and the most popular country song of 1999. "Amazed" was the Academy of Country Music's Single and Song of the Year in 1999, and Lonestar was the Top Vocal Group for the ACM and the Country Music Association in 2001. 

During periods of downtime over the years, and THE FRONTMEN organically built a concept they've been working toward for more than a decade. McDonald and Stewart first connected when they played a radio show in Louisiana. McDonald broached the idea with Stewart: three lead singers, one band and nothing but hits. Rushlow joined soon after, and the trio went on an extended international tour of military bases. The soldiers’ reaction affirmed what they already thought – people want to hear their songs.” It's these iconic songs that have been a part of people's lives over the past 20 or 30 years, and we saw the effect that it had on these men and women fighting for our freedom," McDonald said. "We knew we had to do it.”

THE FRONTMEN played sporadic shows together over the years while each continued with their various bands. When the pandemic struck, McDonald reevaluated how he wanted to spend his time. Stewart had recently stepped away from Restless Heart, and Rushlow shifted focus to THE FRONTMEN. With that, their side project became their main gig. "We jumped in with both feet," McDonald said. "I always tease Larry during the show and tell him, 'I grew up listening to your music.' He'll laugh and say, 'Man, you make me feel really old.'

Larry and Restless Heart really opened the door for Lonestar and Little Texas. We really respect one another. It's just a blast to be on stage every night to sing our hits and, and to harmonize with one another.”

Each man has a turn in the spotlight splitting vocal duties but all three sing non-stop throughout the entire set showcasing harmonies that only this combination of talent could achieve.

"Splitting the lead singing up keeps our vocal chords in tip top shape for all the harmonies in the set," Stewart said. Audiences receive a night of boot-scootin,' heart-popping nostalgia.

In 2023, THE FRONTMEN signed a major record deal with BBR Music Group / BMG Nashville. Stewart, McDonald and Rushlow, all major hit songwriters, released their debut album, THE FRONTMEN, in early 2024 with multi-genre musical heavyweight producer Mickey Jack Cones helming the project. The Frontmen’s debut self-titled album features nine original songs, as well as three Lonestar, Little Texas and Restless Heart No. 1 hits, re-recorded Frontmen-style. The trio tag team lead vocals throughout.

GRAMMY-nominated Cones had this to say about the group: “Larry, Richie and Tim are icons in the industry whose voices helped shape country music we know it. Not only are they three of the most phenomenal vocalists in the genre, they are even better humans. I couldn’t be more honored and enamored to be working with them. ”With brand new fresh music and a combined massive catalog of hits, and THE FRONTMEN are off to the races… again!

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733856356224.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Salina Stiefel TheatreGet ready for a night of country music nostalgia as The Frontmen, featuring former lead singers Larry Stewart (Restless Heart), Richie McDonald (Lonestar), and Tim Rushlow (Little Texas), take the stage at the Stiefel Theatre on Saturday, March 8 at 7:30 p.m.Tickets start at $49 and go on sale Friday, Dec. 13 at 10 a.m. Purchase them in person at the Stiefel Theatre Box Office, online at <a href="http://www.stiefeltheatre.org">stiefeltheatre.org</a>, or by calling 785-827-1998.<h2>LONGER BIO</h2>They have 30 No.1 hits, have sold 30 million albums and are the soundtrack to every Friday night honkytonk, first kiss and broken heart for the last 30 years. Fans sing the words to every song in every set – and while many people have yet to know their name, just about everybody can sing their songs.THE FRONTMEN – comprised of three former lead singers, Larry Stewart (Restless Heart), Richie McDonald (Lonestar) and Tim Rushlow (Little Texas) – is country music's hottest new supergroup. The men have already mastered the stage, succeeded on radio and nightly take sold-out audiences on a rollercoaster of 90’s nostalgic smash hits then transcend their past hit parade with fresh new and original songs that are unmistakably THE FRONTMEN today! The group recently put their massive catalog of hits to work, including "The Bluest Eyes in Texas," "Amazed” and "God Blessed Texas," on tour with Alabama and kick-started the Harley-Davidson crowd in Deadwood, South Dakota, at the 81st Sturgis Motorcycle Rally."The thing about the three of us is we are better together than each of us was by ourselves," McDonald said. "The beauty of the show is that people can come and just sit there for two hours and go, 'I sang along with every single song. I loved every one of them.'”“There is a common thread that runs through the songs we have all recorded over the years that just fits like a glove,” Rushlow added. “It is quite powerful and certainly is the soundtrack to all of our lives.”THE FRONTMEN's magic formula harkens back to some of the biggest Rock groups of the 60’s and 70’s like The Doobie Brothers, Fleetwood Mac and The Eagles where multiple lead singers like Joe Walsh, Glenn Frey and Don Henley have separate careers but join to together to create a sum bigger than its parts. They are a new act with a fresh sound but also an arsenal of hits.Tony Conway, manager of Alabama, had this comment about the group: “The Frontmen is a group of some of the best voices in the history of Country Music. Larry, Tim, Richie have each been responsible for some of the greatest songs ever released. When you take their stellar vocals on hits from Restless Heart, Little Texas and Lonestar and put them together on one stage, you have the originals along with being the best of the best, and a new supergroup in the world of country music.”"We have a great time," Larry Stewart says. "There's no egos. We just enjoy doing it. It's easy for us to work together. We know what to expect. It must've been meant to be.”Stewart's Restless Heart launched in 1984 with their self-titled debut album and went on to collect eight No. 1 hits and sing-along favorites, including "The Bluest Eyes in Texas," "I'll Still Be Loving You," "Why Does It Have to Be (Wrong or Right)," "Wheels," "Fast Movin' Train" and "A Tender Lie." They were named Top Vocal Group by the Academy of Country Music in 1989.Rushlow's Little Texas kicked off in 1991 with Top 10 hits "Some Guys Have All the Love” and "First Time forEverything," then followed up with its debut album of the same name. Subsequent hits include "God Blessed Texas," "Kick a Little," "My Love," "What Might Have Been" and "Amy's Back in Austin." Little Texas won the Academy of Country Music's Top Vocal Group in 1993. McDonald joined Lonestar in 1992, and the group achieved nine No. 1 songs, including: "No News,” "Come Cryin' to Me," "What About Now," "I'm Already There," "My Front Porch Looking In," "Mr. Mom” and "Amazed" -- an eight-week No. 1 song and the most popular country song of 1999. "Amazed" was the Academy of Country Music's Single and Song of the Year in 1999, and Lonestar was the Top Vocal Group for the ACM and the Country Music Association in 2001. During periods of downtime over the years, and THE FRONTMEN organically built a concept they've been working toward for more than a decade. McDonald and Stewart first connected when they played a radio show in Louisiana. McDonald broached the idea with Stewart: three lead singers, one band and nothing but hits. Rushlow joined soon after, and the trio went on an extended international tour of military bases. The soldiers’ reaction affirmed what they already thought – people want to hear their songs.” It's these iconic songs that have been a part of people's lives over the past 20 or 30 years, and we saw the effect that it had on these men and women fighting for our freedom," McDonald said. "We knew we had to do it.”THE FRONTMEN played sporadic shows together over the years while each continued with their various bands. When the pandemic struck, McDonald reevaluated how he wanted to spend his time. Stewart had recently stepped away from Restless Heart, and Rushlow shifted focus to THE FRONTMEN. With that, their side project became their main gig. "We jumped in with both feet," McDonald said. "I always tease Larry during the show and tell him, 'I grew up listening to your music.' He'll laugh and say, 'Man, you make me feel really old.'Larry and Restless Heart really opened the door for Lonestar and Little Texas. We really respect one another. It's just a blast to be on stage every night to sing our hits and, and to harmonize with one another.”Each man has a turn in the spotlight splitting vocal duties but all three sing non-stop throughout the entire set showcasing harmonies that only this combination of talent could achieve."Splitting the lead singing up keeps our vocal chords in tip top shape for all the harmonies in the set," Stewart said. Audiences receive a night of boot-scootin,' heart-popping nostalgia.In 2023, THE FRONTMEN signed a major record deal with BBR Music Group / BMG Nashville. Stewart, McDonald and Rushlow, all major hit songwriters, released their debut album, THE FRONTMEN, in early 2024 with multi-genre musical heavyweight producer Mickey Jack Cones helming the project. The Frontmen’s debut self-titled album features nine original songs, as well as three Lonestar, Little Texas and Restless Heart No. 1 hits, re-recorded Frontmen-style. The trio tag team lead vocals throughout.GRAMMY-nominated Cones had this to say about the group: “Larry, Richie and Tim are icons in the industry whose voices helped shape country music we know it. Not only are they three of the most phenomenal vocalists in the genre, they are even better humans. I couldn’t be more honored and enamored to be working with them. ”With brand new fresh music and a combined massive catalog of hits, and THE FRONTMEN are off to the races… again!

The Frontmen bringing country music hits to Salina in March

Georgiana "Marie" Wynne-Jewell, 62, of Salina, Kansas, passed away Thursday, December 5.

Marie was born in Los Angeles, California on July 27, 1962, a daughter of Maxine Gray and Kenneth Fishburn.

Marie and her husband, Gary Jewell, were married on February 14, 2000.

In her free time, she enjoyed sewing, listening to Coast to Coast, and cooking for her family.

Survivors include her husband, Gary Jewell; sons, Derek Wynne, Shawn Wynne (Jolene); daughter, Nadine Wynne; sisters, Anita Fishburn- Martin (Glenn), Paula Fishburn- Arroyo; and brother Michael Fishburn.

She is also survived by 4 grandchildren, Rose, Brooke, Joseph, Jackson; one great grandchild, Leland; two step grandchildren; 16 nieces and nephews, and numerous other family members.

She is preceded in death by her parents; brother, Leonard Fishburn; daughter, Ashley Stafford; and step son, Travis Jewell.

Cremation has been chosen and no services are planned at this time.

The family requests donations to Salina Animal Services in Salina, Kansas in care of Carlson-Geisendorf Funeral Home.

To send flowers to the family of Georgiana, please<a href="http://carlsongeisendorf-funeral-home-crematory.tributestore.com/?oId=33978401&amp;tag=&amp;source=tco_description&amp;_cdx=GA1.1.954001920.1720620006:GS1.1.1733840046.87.0.1733840053.53.0.0&amp;mtph=1">visit our floral store.</a>If you would like to make a donation in memory of Georgiana Marie Wynne-Jewell, please visit the&nbsp;Tribute Fund.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733840198972.png" alt="Screenshot (936).png" />
 <figcaption>Screenshot (936).png</figcaption>
 </figure>Georgiana "Marie" Wynne-Jewell, 62, of Salina, Kansas, passed away Thursday, December 5.Marie was born in Los Angeles, California on July 27, 1962, a daughter of Maxine Gray and Kenneth Fishburn.Marie and her husband, Gary Jewell, were married on February 14, 2000.In her free time, she enjoyed sewing, listening to Coast to Coast, and cooking for her family.Survivors include her husband, Gary Jewell; sons, Derek Wynne, Shawn Wynne (Jolene); daughter, Nadine Wynne; sisters, Anita Fishburn- Martin (Glenn), Paula Fishburn- Arroyo; and brother Michael Fishburn.She is also survived by 4 grandchildren, Rose, Brooke, Joseph, Jackson; one great grandchild, Leland; two step grandchildren; 16 nieces and nephews, and numerous other family members.She is preceded in death by her parents; brother, Leonard Fishburn; daughter, Ashley Stafford; and step son, Travis Jewell.Cremation has been chosen and no services are planned at this time.The family requests donations to Salina Animal Services in Salina, Kansas in care of Carlson-Geisendorf Funeral Home.To send flowers to the family of Georgiana, please<a href="http://carlsongeisendorf-funeral-home-crematory.tributestore.com/?oId=33978401&amp;tag=&amp;source=tco_description&amp;_cdx=GA1.1.954001920.1720620006:GS1.1.1733840046.87.0.1733840053.53.0.0&amp;mtph=1">visit our floral store.</a>If you would like to make a donation in memory of Georgiana Marie Wynne-Jewell, please visit the&nbsp;Tribute Fund.

Georgiana "Marie" Wynne-Jewell

Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid Quotes

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright, so I don’t have any injury updates for you. We’re right in the middle of that process and we’ll just see how things go. I know the tackle’s (D.J. Humphries) one of (those) problems there, so we’ll see how he does. He’s feeling a little bit better this morning, but we’ll see where it goes from here after he gets an MRI. Other than that, there were some good things that we did in the game that I mentioned after the game there. There was some good personal play that went on with individual guys along with some good team efforts. I thought defensively we really did a great job (in) the first half and then we were able to finish that up (in) the second half (but) we have a couple of things we have to clean up there. It was just some of the throw game, but we’ll get that cleaned up. Then offensively, I thought we did some good things. We’ve got a few things there that we’ve got to take care of, but I have a lot of respect for that defense and that quarterback (Chargers QB Justin Herbert) that they have is also heck of a player. I think (Chargers Head Coach) Jim (Harbaugh) is doing a nice job with that whole group. Anyways, with that, the time’s yours.”

Q: What went into having Justin Reid do the kickoffs?

REID:&nbsp;“Just his (Justin Reid) length of kickoffs. The ability to kick it into the endzone there – consistently.”

Q: Does it help to have a good tackler on the kickoff team as well?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, that doesn’t hurt, for sure, but initially it was the length. He’s (Justin Reid) got a strong leg, and we thought maybe he could put it back there in the endzone.”

Q: Any update on Joshua Williams’ status?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, I don’t have that for you either. He (Joshua Williams) did come in feeling better today but we’ve just got to get the eval— I’ll meet with (Vice President of Sports Medicine and Performance) Rick (Burkholder) here after we’re done and see where we’re at with all that.”

Q:&nbsp;What do you remember about NFL free agent Steven Nelson and how do you think he could help you out if he came back?

REID:&nbsp;“He (NFL free agent Steven Nelson) – well, he was a good player when he was here. He came out of Oregon State with the ability to return and play corner and then he developed into a starting corner in the league. He had a nice career for the last how many years. It was the ability to add a little depth to that spot. We’ll just see how things work out (and) see kind of where he’s at today. He would be a welcomed addition if he’s – if it all works out.”

Q:&nbsp;What goes into the game theory when you see the success of the up-tempo plays?

REID:&nbsp;“That’s a viable thought. We’ve done that in the past on different occasions. We thought we had some good stuff in there that we could use – had a couple nice long drives and ended up taking the last almost five minutes and controlling the football for the win. We definitely, to answer your question, we definitely think of those things for sure, yeah.”

Q:&nbsp;What did you mean after the game by mentioning how Matthew Wright said that he doesn’t see himself as a third-string guy?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, I think he’s (Matthew Wright) got a quiet confidence about him. I think he realizes that he’s a legitimate kicker, at least that’s the persona that he presents to everybody. I think all (of) the guys on the team have confidence in him. We’re not sitting there going, ‘Hey listen, we have some guy that’s never done this before and doesn’t have a track record with us.’ He comes in and he just goes, ‘Okay, line me up and let’s go.”

Q: Have you had time to reflect on all the different ways you guys have won games this season?

REID:&nbsp;“It’s unique. It’s a unique year, they’re all unique, this one is unique from the standpoint that we’ve had a lot of close games and we’ve been able to battle through some things to get these victories. I’m sure we’ll continue to do that. One of the things that (we) came out of training camp with is that you can kind of see your leadership (of) mentally tough guys. I think some of that has carried over to the newer additions, they see how we do things and they try to work themselves into it. We don’t have as many reps with the guys but they kind of take on that personality and they work through it the best they can.”

Q: On Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes’ connection.

Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid QuotesDecember 9, 2024HEAD COACH ANDY REIDOPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright, so I don’t have any injury updates for you. We’re right in the middle of that process and we’ll just see how things go. I know the tackle’s (D.J. Humphries) one of (those) problems there, so we’ll see how he does. He’s feeling a little bit better this morning, but we’ll see where it goes from here after he gets an MRI. Other than that, there were some good things that we did in the game that I mentioned after the game there. There was some good personal play that went on with individual guys along with some good team efforts. I thought defensively we really did a great job (in) the first half and then we were able to finish that up (in) the second half (but) we have a couple of things we have to clean up there. It was just some of the throw game, but we’ll get that cleaned up. Then offensively, I thought we did some good things. We’ve got a few things there that we’ve got to take care of, but I have a lot of respect for that defense and that quarterback (Chargers QB Justin Herbert) that they have is also heck of a player. I think (Chargers Head Coach) Jim (Harbaugh) is doing a nice job with that whole group. Anyways, with that, the time’s yours.”Q: What went into having Justin Reid do the kickoffs?REID:&nbsp;“Just his (Justin Reid) length of kickoffs. The ability to kick it into the endzone there – consistently.”Q: Does it help to have a good tackler on the kickoff team as well?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, that doesn’t hurt, for sure, but initially it was the length. He’s (Justin Reid) got a strong leg, and we thought maybe he could put it back there in the endzone.”Q: Any update on Joshua Williams’ status?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, I don’t have that for you either. He (Joshua Williams) did come in feeling better today but we’ve just got to get the eval— I’ll meet with (Vice President of Sports Medicine and Performance) Rick (Burkholder) here after we’re done and see where we’re at with all that.”Q:&nbsp;What do you remember about NFL free agent Steven Nelson and how do you think he could help you out if he came back?REID:&nbsp;“He (NFL free agent Steven Nelson) – well, he was a good player when he was here. He came out of Oregon State with the ability to return and play corner and then he developed into a starting corner in the league. He had a nice career for the last how many years. It was the ability to add a little depth to that spot. We’ll just see how things work out (and) see kind of where he’s at today. He would be a welcomed addition if he’s – if it all works out.”Q:&nbsp;What goes into the game theory when you see the success of the up-tempo plays?REID:&nbsp;“That’s a viable thought. We’ve done that in the past on different occasions. We thought we had some good stuff in there that we could use – had a couple nice long drives and ended up taking the last almost five minutes and controlling the football for the win. We definitely, to answer your question, we definitely think of those things for sure, yeah.”Q:&nbsp;What did you mean after the game by mentioning how Matthew Wright said that he doesn’t see himself as a third-string guy?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, I think he’s (Matthew Wright) got a quiet confidence about him. I think he realizes that he’s a legitimate kicker, at least that’s the persona that he presents to everybody. I think all (of) the guys on the team have confidence in him. We’re not sitting there going, ‘Hey listen, we have some guy that’s never done this before and doesn’t have a track record with us.’ He comes in and he just goes, ‘Okay, line me up and let’s go.”Q: Have you had time to reflect on all the different ways you guys have won games this season?REID:&nbsp;“It’s unique. It’s a unique year, they’re all unique, this one is unique from the standpoint that we’ve had a lot of close games and we’ve been able to battle through some things to get these victories. I’m sure we’ll continue to do that. One of the things that (we) came out of training camp with is that you can kind of see your leadership (of) mentally tough guys. I think some of that has carried over to the newer additions, they see how we do things and they try to work themselves into it. We don’t have as many reps with the guys but they kind of take on that personality and they work through it the best they can.”Q: On Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes’ connection.

Chiefs Quotes: 12-9-24

Each day on his drive to K-State’s football stadium, Coach Bill Snyder remembered driving past the agricultural research plots. That stadium now bears his name - as does a new wheat variety developed by K-State’s wheat breeding program. For the 2024 year-end giving season, everyone can be a part of launching the KS Bill Snyder variety and supporting wheat research as part of the Legendary Greats giving campaign by the Kansas Wheat Commission Research Foundation (KWCRF).&nbsp;

“The people here are very special, and what you do is meaningful,” Snyder said during a KWCRF event last spring. “When I came here in 1989, I learned that Kansas State people are truly special. They asked, ‘What can we do for you?’ That’s the Kansas State farmer way.”

The KWCRF supports wheat research above and beyond the dollars contributed by Kansas farmers through the checkoff by providing a mechanism for donors to give meaningfully to the future of wheat production. The foundation attracts a wide range of donors, from individuals with deep family ties to wheat production to global supporters. Established in 2012, the foundation has grown to more than $6 million in assets, highlighting the critical need for public-private partnerships in wheat research. Gifts to the KWCRF are used exclusively for wheat research and are tax-deductible.

“The goal in the end is to increase the profitability of Kansas wheat farmers,” said Tammy McClellan, KWCRF manager of donor relations. “And probably that's one of the reasons I love this work the most because I'm married to a Kansas wheat farmer, and I am a Kansas wheat farmer.”

“My father-in-law was on the Kansas Wheat Commission when they made their first vote to start putting funding into research. So, it's a nice family tradition to be involved in research.”&nbsp;

This giving season, the KWCRF is accepting gifts to the Legendary Greats – KS Bill Snyder &amp; Kansas Wheat Campaign. Donors will be helping promote wheat research during the 2025 fall football season as the variety KS Bill Snyder is introduced to the public. Donors to the campaign will be recognized with other donors in a display inside the Kansas Wheat Innovation Center, located directly across from the Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium.&nbsp;

KS Bill Snyder — the wheat variety — was the result of the long-running breeding program at the K-State Agricultural Research Center at Hays, led by Dr. Guorong Zhang, K-State wheat breeder, and his team. KS Bill Snyder is a medium-maturity and medium-short height variety that was the top-performing variety in the Southern Regional Performance Nursery in 2022. KS Bill Snyder has a solid disease package with good-to-intermediate resistance of stripe, leaf and stem rust, along with moderate resistance to Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus (Wsm2 gene) and intermediate resistance to Triticum mosaic virus. It is also resistant to soilborne mosaic virus, allowing it to move into central Kansas, where it has shown decent yield potential. KS Bill Snyder, along with its very high yield potential, also has good drought tolerance, high tillering capacity, excellent straw strength and good quality.

Releasing a new variety like KS Bill Snyder is the result of years of work, requiring maintaining research greenhouses, keeping research equipment top-notch and supporting the teamwork between wheat breeders, professors and their research teams. This long, complicated work makes each release a true celebration, which is one reason why individual donors like Stephen Graham and his wife Sherry choose to donate to the KWCRF.&nbsp;

“You got to remember that this doesn't happen overnight; it takes many years of work and investment to make new varieties happen,” said Graham, who is a former assistant to the Dean of Agriculture for the College of Agriculture at Kansas State University and administrator for the Kansas Wheat Commission in 1981 through 1995. “But at the same time, it’s fun to watch it evolve, watch us learn how our wheat is used. It’s a long game, but you help support this work that benefits our state so much.”&nbsp;

Donors can contribute in various ways, including cash donations, grain or stock gifts, legacy gifts through estate planning, and Required Minimum Distributions from retirement accounts. This flexibility allows everyone to participate, regardless of financial circumstances. Donors can even specify what specific research areas their contributions will support, ensuring every dollar is used effectively and in line with donor goals.&nbsp;

“I appreciate walking in every morning, coming to work and seeing the variety and diversity of those donors,” said Aaron Harries, Kansas Wheat vice president of research and operations. “It shows you the passion for Kansas wheat and wheat research from different segments of the industry.”&nbsp;

Just as Coach Snyder transformed the Wildcats’ football program, the variety in his name embodies the relentless, disciplined pursuit of excellence by researchers and producers. By supporting the KWCRF, you too can contribute to supporting the future of Kansas wheat farming for generations to come.&nbsp;

Learn more about the Legendary Greats campaign or how to give to the KWCRF at fieldsforward.org or listen to a full conversation with McClellan and Graham in the most recent episode of the “Wheat’s on Your Mind” podcast at wheatsonyourmind.com.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655426692793.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas WheatEach day on his drive to K-State’s football stadium, Coach Bill Snyder remembered driving past the agricultural research plots. That stadium now bears his name - as does a new wheat variety developed by K-State’s wheat breeding program. For the 2024 year-end giving season, everyone can be a part of launching the KS Bill Snyder variety and supporting wheat research as part of the Legendary Greats giving campaign by the Kansas Wheat Commission Research Foundation (KWCRF).&nbsp;“The people here are very special, and what you do is meaningful,” Snyder said during a KWCRF event last spring. “When I came here in 1989, I learned that Kansas State people are truly special. They asked, ‘What can we do for you?’ That’s the Kansas State farmer way.”The KWCRF supports wheat research above and beyond the dollars contributed by Kansas farmers through the checkoff by providing a mechanism for donors to give meaningfully to the future of wheat production. The foundation attracts a wide range of donors, from individuals with deep family ties to wheat production to global supporters. Established in 2012, the foundation has grown to more than $6 million in assets, highlighting the critical need for public-private partnerships in wheat research. Gifts to the KWCRF are used exclusively for wheat research and are tax-deductible.“The goal in the end is to increase the profitability of Kansas wheat farmers,” said Tammy McClellan, KWCRF manager of donor relations. “And probably that's one of the reasons I love this work the most because I'm married to a Kansas wheat farmer, and I am a Kansas wheat farmer.”“My father-in-law was on the Kansas Wheat Commission when they made their first vote to start putting funding into research. So, it's a nice family tradition to be involved in research.”&nbsp;This giving season, the KWCRF is accepting gifts to the Legendary Greats – KS Bill Snyder &amp; Kansas Wheat Campaign. Donors will be helping promote wheat research during the 2025 fall football season as the variety KS Bill Snyder is introduced to the public. Donors to the campaign will be recognized with other donors in a display inside the Kansas Wheat Innovation Center, located directly across from the Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium.&nbsp;KS Bill Snyder — the wheat variety — was the result of the long-running breeding program at the K-State Agricultural Research Center at Hays, led by Dr. Guorong Zhang, K-State wheat breeder, and his team. KS Bill Snyder is a medium-maturity and medium-short height variety that was the top-performing variety in the Southern Regional Performance Nursery in 2022. KS Bill Snyder has a solid disease package with good-to-intermediate resistance of stripe, leaf and stem rust, along with moderate resistance to Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus (Wsm2 gene) and intermediate resistance to Triticum mosaic virus. It is also resistant to soilborne mosaic virus, allowing it to move into central Kansas, where it has shown decent yield potential. KS Bill Snyder, along with its very high yield potential, also has good drought tolerance, high tillering capacity, excellent straw strength and good quality.Releasing a new variety like KS Bill Snyder is the result of years of work, requiring maintaining research greenhouses, keeping research equipment top-notch and supporting the teamwork between wheat breeders, professors and their research teams. This long, complicated work makes each release a true celebration, which is one reason why individual donors like Stephen Graham and his wife Sherry choose to donate to the KWCRF.&nbsp;“You got to remember that this doesn't happen overnight; it takes many years of work and investment to make new varieties happen,” said Graham, who is a former assistant to the Dean of Agriculture for the College of Agriculture at Kansas State University and administrator for the Kansas Wheat Commission in 1981 through 1995. “But at the same time, it’s fun to watch it evolve, watch us learn how our wheat is used. It’s a long game, but you help support this work that benefits our state so much.”&nbsp;Donors can contribute in various ways, including cash donations, grain or stock gifts, legacy gifts through estate planning, and Required Minimum Distributions from retirement accounts. This flexibility allows everyone to participate, regardless of financial circumstances. Donors can even specify what specific research areas their contributions will support, ensuring every dollar is used effectively and in line with donor goals.&nbsp;“I appreciate walking in every morning, coming to work and seeing the variety and diversity of those donors,” said Aaron Harries, Kansas Wheat vice president of research and operations. “It shows you the passion for Kansas wheat and wheat research from different segments of the industry.”&nbsp;Just as Coach Snyder transformed the Wildcats’ football program, the variety in his name embodies the relentless, disciplined pursuit of excellence by researchers and producers. By supporting the KWCRF, you too can contribute to supporting the future of Kansas wheat farming for generations to come.&nbsp;Learn more about the Legendary Greats campaign or how to give to the KWCRF at fieldsforward.org or listen to a full conversation with McClellan and Graham in the most recent episode of the “Wheat’s on Your Mind” podcast at wheatsonyourmind.com.&nbsp;

Wheat Scoop: Join the Legendary Greats Campaign by giving to the Kansas Wheat Commission Research Foundation

ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR DAVE TOUB

Q: What has it been like this past month working through the kicker situations?

TOUB: “It’s been – it’s an adventure, really. I mean a lot of credit goes to our long snapper (James Winchester) and our holder, Matt Araiza. Getting those guys and spending the time and figuring them out exactly how he wants – how the kicker wants the holds because it’s different for each kicker. He’s done a really good job with that. It says a lot about them and their professionalism.”&nbsp;

Q: Matt Araiza doesn’t have a lot of experience being a holder anyways, that couldn’t have been easy for him, right?

TOUB: “He (Matt Araiza) doesn’t but he’s – obviously he’s a quick learner. (Harrison) Butker really trained him well and he’s able to take these guys and just adjust. He’s just a good football player – and a good tackler too (laughter).”

Q: What are you seeing from the Chargers special teams unit?

TOUB: “They’re really good and I feel like I say this every week but they’re a top five unit right now. Derius Davis, the returner, number 12 – dynamite, he’s a blazer. He sticks his foot in the ground, he gets north and south as a punt returner and he’s also back there on kick return so he’s very, very dangerous. (Chargers P) J.K. Scott, the punter, excellent directional kicker – hangs it up well, hard to get returns on him. I think they only give up like 30 percent of his punts are returnable so that’s a challenge. (Chargers K Cameron) Dicker the kicker is solid. He hits the ball high, he’s another high ball hitter. Hard to get a block on him, gets it off quick and he has great leg strength.”

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR STEVE SPAGNUOLO

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Well, we’re just ready to play a divisional game so I’ll just open it up (to questions).”

Q:&nbsp;You moved to Joshua Williams in the middle of the Raiders game, how do you think he did, and do you plan on sticking with him as the starter going forward?

SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Yeah, we’ll see where we’re at. Listen, we’re going to need everybody down the stretch. I mean, we’re in December, it’s December football – (we) need everybody to be healthy (and) stay healthy. We’re going to need all of these guys to win. Both of those guys (Joshua Williams and Nazeeh Johnson) will probably play. We’ll see where we’re at as far as who goes first.”

Q:&nbsp;What did you see from Charles Omenihu in his return?

SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Well, it was good to get Charles (Omenihu) out there. He actually probably played more snaps than we anticipated, but I thought he was solid. There are a couple things in there – if you happen to talk to Charles he’ll tell you (that) he wished he had done a little bit differently, but I thought he was solid for going out there for the first time. An ACL (injury) is not easy to (recover from), you guys (the media) all know – to go out there and kind of have that confidence in, but credit to the trainers and (Vice President of Sports Medicine and Performance) Rick (Burkholder) and his staff for getting Charles ready midseason here.”

Q:&nbsp;How much changes when you face a team a second time during the season?

SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Well, we did play them (the Chargers) fairly early. I think they’re – and with a new staff and a new team, I think it takes them a while to figure out who they are. I think they have figured that out and you can kind of see that. You can see the thread of what they want to do, what they would like to try to do (and) how they go about winning games. I think they have a great formula. I mean, I have a lot of respect for (Chargers Head Coach) Jim (Harbaugh) and (Chargers Offensive Coordinator) Greg (Roman) with the way they do things. It’s still going to come back to – I mean, when we have a wrinkle that’s a little bit different then the first time – absolutely, we always think that way. Can we get into those wrinkles? We’ll see because sometimes they’re dictated by the situation, but I think they’re a little bit different in – I mean, the biggest thing that will be different for us is that when we played them last time, (Chargers QB) Justin (Herbert) had a bum ankle and wasn’t running as much. I mean, he gutted it out in that game. He’s running pretty good now. That in and of itself will be different for us.”

Q: What is your impression of D.J. Humphries so far?

NAGY:&nbsp;“As far as the person – like I said a few weeks ago, (I) love the person. I love his (D.J. Humphries) energy. It’s a contagious, infectious personality that he has, with a lot of confidence but he also has to learn the lingo and how we do things and he’s been able to do that the last couple weeks. He’s been doing a really good job in practice of being able to show us with the opportunities he’s getting, and I think that’s half (of) the battle. It’s just the experience and the confidence and now, if he gets that opportunity and that’s the way we go, we’ll see on gameday if that’s the case.”

Q: If D.J. Humphries does get the opportunity to start and he needs help, how much does it help to have Joe Thuney next to him?

NAGY:&nbsp;“(It) helps a lot. You look there and you see – the one thing that jumps off to me, in regard to D.J. (Humphries) is just he’s had a lot of reps so that confidence is there. Then, you watch the reps in practice, and you see the mechanics and the techniques that he uses – the basic foundation of fundamentals. If there is something schematically that there might be a question with protection or in the run game, etcetera, Joe’s (Thuney) right there. I think it just really helps out a lot.”

Q: How did you assess Isiah Pacheco’s first game back overall?

Chiefs Coordinator QuotesDecember 5, 2024ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR DAVE TOUBQ: What has it been like this past month working through the kicker situations?TOUB: “It’s been – it’s an adventure, really. I mean a lot of credit goes to our long snapper (James Winchester) and our holder, Matt Araiza. Getting those guys and spending the time and figuring them out exactly how he wants – how the kicker wants the holds because it’s different for each kicker. He’s done a really good job with that. It says a lot about them and their professionalism.”&nbsp;Q: Matt Araiza doesn’t have a lot of experience being a holder anyways, that couldn’t have been easy for him, right?TOUB: “He (Matt Araiza) doesn’t but he’s – obviously he’s a quick learner. (Harrison) Butker really trained him well and he’s able to take these guys and just adjust. He’s just a good football player – and a good tackler too (laughter).”Q: What are you seeing from the Chargers special teams unit?TOUB: “They’re really good and I feel like I say this every week but they’re a top five unit right now. Derius Davis, the returner, number 12 – dynamite, he’s a blazer. He sticks his foot in the ground, he gets north and south as a punt returner and he’s also back there on kick return so he’s very, very dangerous. (Chargers P) J.K. Scott, the punter, excellent directional kicker – hangs it up well, hard to get returns on him. I think they only give up like 30 percent of his punts are returnable so that’s a challenge. (Chargers K Cameron) Dicker the kicker is solid. He hits the ball high, he’s another high ball hitter. Hard to get a block on him, gets it off quick and he has great leg strength.”DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR STEVE SPAGNUOLOOPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Well, we’re just ready to play a divisional game so I’ll just open it up (to questions).”Q:&nbsp;You moved to Joshua Williams in the middle of the Raiders game, how do you think he did, and do you plan on sticking with him as the starter going forward?SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Yeah, we’ll see where we’re at. Listen, we’re going to need everybody down the stretch. I mean, we’re in December, it’s December football – (we) need everybody to be healthy (and) stay healthy. We’re going to need all of these guys to win. Both of those guys (Joshua Williams and Nazeeh Johnson) will probably play. We’ll see where we’re at as far as who goes first.”Q:&nbsp;What did you see from Charles Omenihu in his return?SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Well, it was good to get Charles (Omenihu) out there. He actually probably played more snaps than we anticipated, but I thought he was solid. There are a couple things in there – if you happen to talk to Charles he’ll tell you (that) he wished he had done a little bit differently, but I thought he was solid for going out there for the first time. An ACL (injury) is not easy to (recover from), you guys (the media) all know – to go out there and kind of have that confidence in, but credit to the trainers and (Vice President of Sports Medicine and Performance) Rick (Burkholder) and his staff for getting Charles ready midseason here.”Q:&nbsp;How much changes when you face a team a second time during the season?SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Well, we did play them (the Chargers) fairly early. I think they’re – and with a new staff and a new team, I think it takes them a while to figure out who they are. I think they have figured that out and you can kind of see that. You can see the thread of what they want to do, what they would like to try to do (and) how they go about winning games. I think they have a great formula. I mean, I have a lot of respect for (Chargers Head Coach) Jim (Harbaugh) and (Chargers Offensive Coordinator) Greg (Roman) with the way they do things. It’s still going to come back to – I mean, when we have a wrinkle that’s a little bit different then the first time – absolutely, we always think that way. Can we get into those wrinkles? We’ll see because sometimes they’re dictated by the situation, but I think they’re a little bit different in – I mean, the biggest thing that will be different for us is that when we played them last time, (Chargers QB) Justin (Herbert) had a bum ankle and wasn’t running as much. I mean, he gutted it out in that game. He’s running pretty good now. That in and of itself will be different for us.”OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR MATT NAGYQ: What is your impression of D.J. Humphries so far?NAGY:&nbsp;“As far as the person – like I said a few weeks ago, (I) love the person. I love his (D.J. Humphries) energy. It’s a contagious, infectious personality that he has, with a lot of confidence but he also has to learn the lingo and how we do things and he’s been able to do that the last couple weeks. He’s been doing a really good job in practice of being able to show us with the opportunities he’s getting, and I think that’s half (of) the battle. It’s just the experience and the confidence and now, if he gets that opportunity and that’s the way we go, we’ll see on gameday if that’s the case.”Q: If D.J. Humphries does get the opportunity to start and he needs help, how much does it help to have Joe Thuney next to him?NAGY:&nbsp;“(It) helps a lot. You look there and you see – the one thing that jumps off to me, in regard to D.J. (Humphries) is just he’s had a lot of reps so that confidence is there. Then, you watch the reps in practice, and you see the mechanics and the techniques that he uses – the basic foundation of fundamentals. If there is something schematically that there might be a question with protection or in the run game, etcetera, Joe’s (Thuney) right there. I think it just really helps out a lot.”Q: How did you assess Isiah Pacheco’s first game back overall?

Chiefs Quotes: 12-5-24

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright, really there are no injuries to talk about. We did make the move - (Spencer) Shrader down and (Matthew) Wright up at the kicking position. (We) look forward to challenge of playing the Chargers, (they’re) a good football team, as we know. We look forward to bringing them here to GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. It’s always a great atmosphere and two good football teams playing each other. With that, the time’s yours.”

Q: What do you mean when you say Spencer Shrader is down and Matthew Wright is up?

Q: IR for Spencer Shrader and active for Matthew Wright?

Q: How’s Harrison Butker been progressing?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, he’s (Harrison Butker) – potentially, yes. I mean, he’s doing – he’s doing good. We’ll just see how it goes here in the next week or two, but he is making good progress so that’s a plus.”

Q: On still having success with three different kickers.

REID:&nbsp;“I always start with (General Manager) Brett (Veach) and his crew of bringing the guys in. One of the guys (Matthew Wright) we knew so we had confidence there but you’re into your third kicker so it’s a little different. I think it was good for Spencer (Shrader) to get in there and do this thing. He was productive when he – before he got hurt. That was great for him and whatever lies in the future for him. Likewise, (Matthew) Wright, he’ll go this weekend so if he just continues doing what he’s been doing – he’s done a nice job for us.”

Q: Will Isiah Pacheco’s workload increase? Did he only have seven carries because he isn’t in football shape yet?

REID:&nbsp;“He (Isiah Pacheco) ended up with 20-some-odd plays but yes. I would say yes.&nbsp; It was – (we) wanted to get him into the mix (and) get him caught up with the speed of the game. We were thinking right around 20 plays. (We) didn’t necessarily care (if it was) carries or not. I’m glad it worked out that way though so he could – he came out healthy, feeling good (with) no setbacks.”

Q: Why was this year the year that Noah Gray really took a step forward?

REID:&nbsp;“It’s probably more opportunities. We’re doing a little bit more double tight end stuff and he’s (Noah Gray) had a good blend in there when they were doubling (Travis) Kelce, he took full advantage of that. He’s a good player. Listen, he works tremendously hard at his job, he’s very smart and you knew that he would just continue to get better and better.”

Q: What’s going to be the process of determining your left tackle for Sunday?

REID:&nbsp;“Literally seeing what we can do at practice and how he (D.J. Humphries) feels and communication there. Just playing it day-by-day so (we’ll) see how it all ends up. I think it’s probably going to go that way throughout the end of the week here.”

Q: D.J. Humphries will get snaps with the ones then?

REID:&nbsp;“Listen, he (D.J. Humphries) took some snaps last week, but this will be faster for him. Last week was a short week so this will be a better indicator to see where he’s at.”

Q: Will Joe Thuney be your guy if D.J. Humphries isn’t ready?

REID:&nbsp;“That’s one of the options, yeah. That’s one of the options. Wanya (Morris) can still be in there too.”

Q: Has the workload for DeAndre Hopkins been a reflection of what have in for him or is there some kind of management going on to make sure he is fresh?

REID:&nbsp;“Well, some of it’s just making sure he’s (DeAndre Hopkins) got everything as we go. I mean, we’re way into the offense and that’s a tough position that he’s playing. He’s so smart (that) we probably increased it faster than what we normally would do with him, and he’s handled it – and has had quite a few snaps. We’ve got this rotation kind of going. It’s not one thing over another but we have some guys that we feel (like) can do a nice job in there and he’s obviously one of them. The quarterback (Patrick Mahomes) seems to really trust him, too.”

Q: How do you plan on using D.J. Humphries? Do you plan on rotating him in or keeping him in the whole game?

REID:&nbsp;“I think eventually you want to get somebody in there that does a good job. I mean that’s – and really can stay in there and be that guy as we develop the young guys. You’re going to have some hiccups, so we know that. We knew that going in, but we’ll see if D.J. (Humphries) can do that. If he can do it, then if he can’t (then) he can’t.”&nbsp;

Q: How challenging is it to incorporate a guy like D.J. Humphries at this point in the season who hasn’t been in your offense very long?

REID:&nbsp;“Well listen, two of those three are veteran guys that we have an option to put in there so you’re kind of banking on that. I mean Joe (Thuney) hasn’t had a bunch of snaps there either, Wanya (Morris) and Kingsley (Suamataia) have taken most of the snaps so – and D.J. (Humphries) hasn’t played other than the X number of years before this – nine years or ten years before this. We’re banking on that part of it with a couple of those guys. The veteran part of it can step in there and take care of it.”

Q: Are there guys that you’re looking to load manage in the next few games?

REID:&nbsp;“Possibly. Not this week.”

Q: Former college and NFL coach Mike Holmgren was chosen as a coaching finalist for the PFHOF. Can you speak on key parts of your career that he’s enabled?

REID:&nbsp;“The best I’ve ever been around (Former college and NFL coach Mike Holmgren).&nbsp; I just – I thought he was great at the college level (and) I thought in the NFL he was phenomenal. I’ve been a head coach now for a couple years and I still look back and go, ‘I don’t think anybody’s done it better than what he’s done.’ I’ve seen it all for 20-some-odd years so it’s a – he just had a great way about him with people. He was tough enough, he’s a brilliant guy so he just had a great handle on things.”

Q: If he didn’t make good on his promise to you when you were at Missouri, would you still be a college coach?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah probably. I’d probably be coaching the offensive line. Maybe get out of the box.”

Q: Did he also get you to San Francisco State?

REID:&nbsp;“No, so (former Head Coach at BYU) LaVell Edwards was friends with (former Head Coach at San Francisco State) Vic Rowen at San Francisco State. That’s where (former college and NFL coach) Mike Holmgren came from, was San Francisco State. Then, in return – it was a trade.”

Q: Jim Harbaugh has had success as many levels what are his strengths?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, he’s (Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh) done it (at) every level really. He comes from a great family – great football family. His dad (former college coach Jack Harbaugh) is a phenomenal football coach, could’ve easily coached at this level – been a head coach at this level. He’s got a great feel, he knows it from the player’s standpoint, he knows it from the coaching standpoint. (He) has a good balance of things that he works with, a good demanding coach on his players, good teacher.”

Q: How have the Chargers evolved since playing you last?

REID:&nbsp;“They’re more familiar with their schemes, that’s really the bottom line so it allows them to play faster.”

Q:&nbsp;How are all the changes at left tackle affecting you this season?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I don’t know if it’s affected me too much. I mean, I’ve played with all those guys before, and I know those guys are out there battling – they’re out there and they’ve played winning football before. I just go about my business, go about my process and try to stay within the scheme of the offense and then when stuff breaks down, I try to go out there and make plays so that’s what I’m going to continue to do.”

Q:&nbsp;Did you talk to Head Coach Andy Reid about making a change at left tackle after the last sack in the fourth quarter?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I did not, no. I was more upset just because I felt like there was people open and we hadn’t scored in the red zone so I knew that was a big drive. I think I was just more upset about the fact that we didn’t execute at a high enough level in the red zone.”

Q:&nbsp;What are your initial impressions of D.J. Humphries?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“You see how talented he (D.J. Humphries) is. The physical gifts are there. It’s been cool to watch him interact with the other guys, too. You can tell he’s smart. He’s willing to teach guys which is big in that room. We have a lot of young guys there and so I’ve been very impressed. I’m excited for him to get more and more work with more and more practice and hopefully be ready to go as soon as possible.”

Q:&nbsp;Do you enjoy the problem solving and resetting everything as you go through the process of the season?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I don’t know if enjoy is the word for it, but I think it keeps you motivated which I think can be a good thing in the end. I think sometimes I look back on the year (where) we lost in the Super Bowl, and we were very dominant throughout the regular season and it’s just kind of like you get in this point where you start coasting because you’re just – you’re winning games, you’re just kind of doing the normal thing. Whereas if you look at us last year, even though it didn’t go the way we wanted it to, I feel like we just continued to work every single week, and we knew we had to get better and we didn’t let the details slip. We ended up playing our best football at the end of the year. That’s the hope is that with all of these close finishes, we’re getting wins but it’s keeping us hungry so that we can try to continue to get better as the season goes on.”

Q:&nbsp;Do you feel like you’ve evolved already this season?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah, I think we’ve done better offensively. I can speak to of course – I mean, just – we’ve done better executing the offense (and) going to the right positions – I’ve done a better job of giving guys chances to make plays. It’s just little plays here and there that have kind of stalled out drives. If that’s the deep shots that I’ve missed to Xavier (Worthy or) other guys or if that’s the red zone and not executing at that time in the red zone. There are plays in games that if we just make that play, the offense scores 30 points and we’re not even having this discussion.”

Q:&nbsp;Do you feel like this is a championship team and do you feel like there is a point that you need to get to by the end of the season?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Every team (that) I’ve been on I feel like has been a championship team. It’s been plays here or there that have - either we’ve lost in overtime in the AFC Championship game or lost in the Super Bowl. I feel like we have the talent, and we have the coaching staff, and we have the work ethic to go out there and win any football game. It’s about going out there and doing that on a week-to-week, day-to-day basis. I feel like we have those guys that are motivated enough to do that, but it’s not going to be easy, and it never is. You have to really play your best football at the perfect time in order to win a championship and that’s what I’ve learned through my time in the NFL.”

Q:&nbsp;Does the goal of wanting to win the Super Bowl create any stress among the team?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Honestly, I don’t know. I mean, that’s the reason you play the sport. I’ve never had a team that I didn’t believe could win the Super Bowl. I don’t know what I would be doing and how I would be acting if we weren’t going to the playoffs. My goal at the end of the year is to win the Super Bowl and nothing else matters.”

Q:&nbsp;On taking advantage of any unwritten rules for quarterbacks.

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I’m just playing football at the end of the day. I don’t feel like I’ve ever put anybody in jeopardy of not wanting to hit me. I know when you get in the open field, guys want to hit you, and I get down when I feel like it’s necessary to get down but there’s times in big spots in the games where I know I need to get first downs, and I go for it. It’s not taking advantage of any rules. I think it – more than anything it’s me being smart in the moment of knowing when not to (slide) and when to go for it. You’ve seen that from me in the playoffs and I feel like you see that from me in big spots in games because I know that sliding at that moment is not going to get us the win and I’m all about winning.”

Q:&nbsp;Do you feel vulnerable when you slide?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“No, I’m big on when I do slide trying to get the head down because at the end of the day, man, it’s a split-second decision and I know guys are playing the sport – I mean for the most part, ninety-nine percent of the guys are not trying to hurt anybody, they’re just trying to make plays. Those guys are flying down trying to stop you from getting first downs, so when I do slide, I try to get my head down as quickly as possible and try to avoid those situations, but that stuff happens in football. Luckily, (Jacksonville Jaguars QB) Trevor’s (Lawrence) alright because that’s the most important thing, but at the end of the day, I think everybody’s just going out there (and) playing the sport that they love as hard as they can and sometimes bad things happen, but hopefully we can move through it and learn from it.”

Q:&nbsp;How much do you respect Chargers QB Justin Herbert as a counterpart?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I mean, I have a ton of respect (for him). He’s (Chargers QB Justin Herbert) one of those guys that like, every ball he throws is the perfect spiral. You can tell he can throw the football as good as anybody. He works extremely hard, and I think what gets lost in it sometimes is how tough he is. He battles through a lot of injuries; he plays the game the right way and I’ve played him in a lot of great football games because that’s the type of talent that he is.”

Q:&nbsp;From your perspective, can you tell beforehand when Travis Kelce is going to lateral the ball to Samaje Perine? Is that more designed than people realize?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Well, it’s not designed at all. He’s (Travis Kelce) like the only person that would do it. I know it sometimes looks like that, but I think it’s more of him just being in this offense for so long that he knows where guys are that are running different routes. The play the other day, he was just kind of a checkdown guy – he was open. I was going to throw it to him (and) try to get as close as I can to fourth down so I can try to convince (Head) Coach (Andy) Reid to go for it and he laterals it to Samaje (Perine), and he makes a play. He does that in practice, and it started off as kind of a joke and then now it’s kind of become a thing. As long as he completes it, Coach is going to keep letting him do it, but he knows the consequences if he doesn’t.”

Q:&nbsp;What do you see from this Chargers secondary coming off a four-interception performance?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“They’re so good at their scheme and they know where the weaknesses are in their scheme and how to cover those up and then they have the talent to do it. I think it all starts with (Chargers S) Derwin (James). I mean, he’s a great football player (and) he can play anywhere on the football field and he’s going to make plays happen. They have a lot of other guys as well that are playing extremely fast. This is a really good defense (and) it’ll be a great challenge for us.”

Q:&nbsp;Bills QB Josh Allen had a special lateral of his own this week. Do you think Travis Kelce had an influence on this league as of late with that play?

Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid QuotesDecember 4, 2024HEAD COACH ANDY REIDOPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright, really there are no injuries to talk about. We did make the move - (Spencer) Shrader down and (Matthew) Wright up at the kicking position. (We) look forward to challenge of playing the Chargers, (they’re) a good football team, as we know. We look forward to bringing them here to GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. It’s always a great atmosphere and two good football teams playing each other. With that, the time’s yours.”Q: What do you mean when you say Spencer Shrader is down and Matthew Wright is up?REID:&nbsp;“IR.”Q: IR for Spencer Shrader and active for Matthew Wright?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah.”Q: How’s Harrison Butker been progressing?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, he’s (Harrison Butker) – potentially, yes. I mean, he’s doing – he’s doing good. We’ll just see how it goes here in the next week or two, but he is making good progress so that’s a plus.”Q: On still having success with three different kickers.REID:&nbsp;“I always start with (General Manager) Brett (Veach) and his crew of bringing the guys in. One of the guys (Matthew Wright) we knew so we had confidence there but you’re into your third kicker so it’s a little different. I think it was good for Spencer (Shrader) to get in there and do this thing. He was productive when he – before he got hurt. That was great for him and whatever lies in the future for him. Likewise, (Matthew) Wright, he’ll go this weekend so if he just continues doing what he’s been doing – he’s done a nice job for us.”Q: Will Isiah Pacheco’s workload increase? Did he only have seven carries because he isn’t in football shape yet?REID:&nbsp;“He (Isiah Pacheco) ended up with 20-some-odd plays but yes. I would say yes.&nbsp; It was – (we) wanted to get him into the mix (and) get him caught up with the speed of the game. We were thinking right around 20 plays. (We) didn’t necessarily care (if it was) carries or not. I’m glad it worked out that way though so he could – he came out healthy, feeling good (with) no setbacks.”Q: Why was this year the year that Noah Gray really took a step forward?REID:&nbsp;“It’s probably more opportunities. We’re doing a little bit more double tight end stuff and he’s (Noah Gray) had a good blend in there when they were doubling (Travis) Kelce, he took full advantage of that. He’s a good player. Listen, he works tremendously hard at his job, he’s very smart and you knew that he would just continue to get better and better.”Q: What’s going to be the process of determining your left tackle for Sunday?REID:&nbsp;“Literally seeing what we can do at practice and how he (D.J. Humphries) feels and communication there. Just playing it day-by-day so (we’ll) see how it all ends up. I think it’s probably going to go that way throughout the end of the week here.”Q: D.J. Humphries will get snaps with the ones then?REID:&nbsp;“Listen, he (D.J. Humphries) took some snaps last week, but this will be faster for him. Last week was a short week so this will be a better indicator to see where he’s at.”Q: Will Joe Thuney be your guy if D.J. Humphries isn’t ready?REID:&nbsp;“That’s one of the options, yeah. That’s one of the options. Wanya (Morris) can still be in there too.”Q: Has the workload for DeAndre Hopkins been a reflection of what have in for him or is there some kind of management going on to make sure he is fresh?REID:&nbsp;“Well, some of it’s just making sure he’s (DeAndre Hopkins) got everything as we go. I mean, we’re way into the offense and that’s a tough position that he’s playing. He’s so smart (that) we probably increased it faster than what we normally would do with him, and he’s handled it – and has had quite a few snaps. We’ve got this rotation kind of going. It’s not one thing over another but we have some guys that we feel (like) can do a nice job in there and he’s obviously one of them. The quarterback (Patrick Mahomes) seems to really trust him, too.”Q: How do you plan on using D.J. Humphries? Do you plan on rotating him in or keeping him in the whole game?REID:&nbsp;“I think eventually you want to get somebody in there that does a good job. I mean that’s – and really can stay in there and be that guy as we develop the young guys. You’re going to have some hiccups, so we know that. We knew that going in, but we’ll see if D.J. (Humphries) can do that. If he can do it, then if he can’t (then) he can’t.”&nbsp;Q: How challenging is it to incorporate a guy like D.J. Humphries at this point in the season who hasn’t been in your offense very long?REID:&nbsp;“Well listen, two of those three are veteran guys that we have an option to put in there so you’re kind of banking on that. I mean Joe (Thuney) hasn’t had a bunch of snaps there either, Wanya (Morris) and Kingsley (Suamataia) have taken most of the snaps so – and D.J. (Humphries) hasn’t played other than the X number of years before this – nine years or ten years before this. We’re banking on that part of it with a couple of those guys. The veteran part of it can step in there and take care of it.”Q: Are there guys that you’re looking to load manage in the next few games?REID:&nbsp;“Possibly. Not this week.”Q: Former college and NFL coach Mike Holmgren was chosen as a coaching finalist for the PFHOF. Can you speak on key parts of your career that he’s enabled?REID:&nbsp;“The best I’ve ever been around (Former college and NFL coach Mike Holmgren).&nbsp; I just – I thought he was great at the college level (and) I thought in the NFL he was phenomenal. I’ve been a head coach now for a couple years and I still look back and go, ‘I don’t think anybody’s done it better than what he’s done.’ I’ve seen it all for 20-some-odd years so it’s a – he just had a great way about him with people. He was tough enough, he’s a brilliant guy so he just had a great handle on things.”Q: If he didn’t make good on his promise to you when you were at Missouri, would you still be a college coach?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah probably. I’d probably be coaching the offensive line. Maybe get out of the box.”Q: Did he also get you to San Francisco State?REID:&nbsp;“No, so (former Head Coach at BYU) LaVell Edwards was friends with (former Head Coach at San Francisco State) Vic Rowen at San Francisco State. That’s where (former college and NFL coach) Mike Holmgren came from, was San Francisco State. Then, in return – it was a trade.”Q: Jim Harbaugh has had success as many levels what are his strengths?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, he’s (Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh) done it (at) every level really. He comes from a great family – great football family. His dad (former college coach Jack Harbaugh) is a phenomenal football coach, could’ve easily coached at this level – been a head coach at this level. He’s got a great feel, he knows it from the player’s standpoint, he knows it from the coaching standpoint. (He) has a good balance of things that he works with, a good demanding coach on his players, good teacher.”Q: How have the Chargers evolved since playing you last?REID:&nbsp;“They’re more familiar with their schemes, that’s really the bottom line so it allows them to play faster.”Chiefs Player QuotesDecember 4, 2024QB PATRICK MAHOMESQ:&nbsp;How are all the changes at left tackle affecting you this season?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I don’t know if it’s affected me too much. I mean, I’ve played with all those guys before, and I know those guys are out there battling – they’re out there and they’ve played winning football before. I just go about my business, go about my process and try to stay within the scheme of the offense and then when stuff breaks down, I try to go out there and make plays so that’s what I’m going to continue to do.”Q:&nbsp;Did you talk to Head Coach Andy Reid about making a change at left tackle after the last sack in the fourth quarter?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I did not, no. I was more upset just because I felt like there was people open and we hadn’t scored in the red zone so I knew that was a big drive. I think I was just more upset about the fact that we didn’t execute at a high enough level in the red zone.”Q:&nbsp;What are your initial impressions of D.J. Humphries?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“You see how talented he (D.J. Humphries) is. The physical gifts are there. It’s been cool to watch him interact with the other guys, too. You can tell he’s smart. He’s willing to teach guys which is big in that room. We have a lot of young guys there and so I’ve been very impressed. I’m excited for him to get more and more work with more and more practice and hopefully be ready to go as soon as possible.”Q:&nbsp;Do you enjoy the problem solving and resetting everything as you go through the process of the season?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I don’t know if enjoy is the word for it, but I think it keeps you motivated which I think can be a good thing in the end. I think sometimes I look back on the year (where) we lost in the Super Bowl, and we were very dominant throughout the regular season and it’s just kind of like you get in this point where you start coasting because you’re just – you’re winning games, you’re just kind of doing the normal thing. Whereas if you look at us last year, even though it didn’t go the way we wanted it to, I feel like we just continued to work every single week, and we knew we had to get better and we didn’t let the details slip. We ended up playing our best football at the end of the year. That’s the hope is that with all of these close finishes, we’re getting wins but it’s keeping us hungry so that we can try to continue to get better as the season goes on.”Q:&nbsp;Do you feel like you’ve evolved already this season?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah, I think we’ve done better offensively. I can speak to of course – I mean, just – we’ve done better executing the offense (and) going to the right positions – I’ve done a better job of giving guys chances to make plays. It’s just little plays here and there that have kind of stalled out drives. If that’s the deep shots that I’ve missed to Xavier (Worthy or) other guys or if that’s the red zone and not executing at that time in the red zone. There are plays in games that if we just make that play, the offense scores 30 points and we’re not even having this discussion.”Q:&nbsp;Do you feel like this is a championship team and do you feel like there is a point that you need to get to by the end of the season?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Every team (that) I’ve been on I feel like has been a championship team. It’s been plays here or there that have - either we’ve lost in overtime in the AFC Championship game or lost in the Super Bowl. I feel like we have the talent, and we have the coaching staff, and we have the work ethic to go out there and win any football game. It’s about going out there and doing that on a week-to-week, day-to-day basis. I feel like we have those guys that are motivated enough to do that, but it’s not going to be easy, and it never is. You have to really play your best football at the perfect time in order to win a championship and that’s what I’ve learned through my time in the NFL.”Q:&nbsp;Does the goal of wanting to win the Super Bowl create any stress among the team?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Honestly, I don’t know. I mean, that’s the reason you play the sport. I’ve never had a team that I didn’t believe could win the Super Bowl. I don’t know what I would be doing and how I would be acting if we weren’t going to the playoffs. My goal at the end of the year is to win the Super Bowl and nothing else matters.”Q:&nbsp;On taking advantage of any unwritten rules for quarterbacks.MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I’m just playing football at the end of the day. I don’t feel like I’ve ever put anybody in jeopardy of not wanting to hit me. I know when you get in the open field, guys want to hit you, and I get down when I feel like it’s necessary to get down but there’s times in big spots in the games where I know I need to get first downs, and I go for it. It’s not taking advantage of any rules. I think it – more than anything it’s me being smart in the moment of knowing when not to (slide) and when to go for it. You’ve seen that from me in the playoffs and I feel like you see that from me in big spots in games because I know that sliding at that moment is not going to get us the win and I’m all about winning.”Q:&nbsp;Do you feel vulnerable when you slide?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“No, I’m big on when I do slide trying to get the head down because at the end of the day, man, it’s a split-second decision and I know guys are playing the sport – I mean for the most part, ninety-nine percent of the guys are not trying to hurt anybody, they’re just trying to make plays. Those guys are flying down trying to stop you from getting first downs, so when I do slide, I try to get my head down as quickly as possible and try to avoid those situations, but that stuff happens in football. Luckily, (Jacksonville Jaguars QB) Trevor’s (Lawrence) alright because that’s the most important thing, but at the end of the day, I think everybody’s just going out there (and) playing the sport that they love as hard as they can and sometimes bad things happen, but hopefully we can move through it and learn from it.”Q:&nbsp;How much do you respect Chargers QB Justin Herbert as a counterpart?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I mean, I have a ton of respect (for him). He’s (Chargers QB Justin Herbert) one of those guys that like, every ball he throws is the perfect spiral. You can tell he can throw the football as good as anybody. He works extremely hard, and I think what gets lost in it sometimes is how tough he is. He battles through a lot of injuries; he plays the game the right way and I’ve played him in a lot of great football games because that’s the type of talent that he is.”Q:&nbsp;From your perspective, can you tell beforehand when Travis Kelce is going to lateral the ball to Samaje Perine? Is that more designed than people realize?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Well, it’s not designed at all. He’s (Travis Kelce) like the only person that would do it. I know it sometimes looks like that, but I think it’s more of him just being in this offense for so long that he knows where guys are that are running different routes. The play the other day, he was just kind of a checkdown guy – he was open. I was going to throw it to him (and) try to get as close as I can to fourth down so I can try to convince (Head) Coach (Andy) Reid to go for it and he laterals it to Samaje (Perine), and he makes a play. He does that in practice, and it started off as kind of a joke and then now it’s kind of become a thing. As long as he completes it, Coach is going to keep letting him do it, but he knows the consequences if he doesn’t.”Q:&nbsp;What do you see from this Chargers secondary coming off a four-interception performance?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“They’re so good at their scheme and they know where the weaknesses are in their scheme and how to cover those up and then they have the talent to do it. I think it all starts with (Chargers S) Derwin (James). I mean, he’s a great football player (and) he can play anywhere on the football field and he’s going to make plays happen. They have a lot of other guys as well that are playing extremely fast. This is a really good defense (and) it’ll be a great challenge for us.”Q:&nbsp;Bills QB Josh Allen had a special lateral of his own this week. Do you think Travis Kelce had an influence on this league as of late with that play?

Chiefs Quotes: 12-4-24

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hearing a high-profile culture-war clash, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday seemed likely to uphold Tennessee's ban on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-gender-affirming-supreme-court-tennessee-c302c0e307dc1ab70f01b84bab72eaf0">gender-affirming care for minors</a>.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2024/23-477">Click here to listen to</a> a replay of the oral argument

The justices’ decision, not expected for several months, could affect similar laws enacted by another 25 states and a range of other efforts&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/san-jose-state-volleyball-d00b36355c69f48de712339821682b52">to regulate the lives of transgender people</a>, including which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/gender-in-sports-track-and-field-roller-derby-new-york-gender-2fe769675c174632925e446f15c6294b">sports competitions</a>&nbsp;they can join and which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sarah-mcbride-speaker-johnson-transgender-bathroom-f3943e1b3b2dc9c8d62d2ba6660aaf91">bathrooms they can use</a>.

The case is being weighed by a conservative-dominated court after a presidential election in which Donald Trump and his allies promised to roll back&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-harris-transgender-politics-61cff97a64fac581ffc5f762be4c57d3">protections</a>&nbsp;for transgender people, showcasing the uneasy intersection between law, politics and individual rights.

The Biden administration's top Supreme Court lawyer warned a decision favorable to Tennessee also could be used to justify nationwide restrictions on transgender healthcare for minors.

In arguments that lasted more than two hours, five of the six conservative justices voiced varying degrees of skepticism of arguments made by the administration and Chase Strangio, the ACLU lawyer for Tennessee families challenging the ban.

Chief Justice John Roberts, who voted in the majority in a 2020 case in favor of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-transgender-rights-lgbtq-donald-trump-3bb3ace81ff32b6dec382b486ec6a772">transgender rights</a>, questioned whether judges, rather than lawmakers, should be weighing in on a question of regulating medical procedures, an area usually left to the states.

”The Constitution leaves that question to the people’s representatives, rather than to nine people, none of whom is a doctor,” Roberts said in an exchange with Strangio.

The court’s three liberal justices seemed firmly on the side of the challengers. But it’s not clear that any of the conservatives will go along.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor pushed back against the assertion that the democratic process would be the best way to address objections to the law. She cited a history of laws discriminating against others, noting that transgender people make up less than 1% of the U.S. population, according to studies. There are an estimated 1.3 million adults and 300,000 adolescents aged 13 to 17 who identify as transgender, according the UCLA law school's Williams Institute.

“Blacks were a much larger part of the population and it didn’t protect them. It didn’t protect women for whole centuries,” Sotomayor said in an exchange with Tennessee Solicitor General Matt Rice.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said she saw some troubling parallels between arguments made by Tennessee and those advanced by Virginia and rejected by a unanimous court, in the 1967&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/c6df18d20eb141e1b55bd5c3b02bf91d">Loving decision</a>&nbsp;that legalized interracial marriage nationwide.

Quoting from the 57-year-old decision, Jackson noted that Virginia argued then that “the scientific evidence is substantially in doubt and, consequently, the court should defer to the wisdom of the state legislature.”

Justice Neil Gorsuch, who wrote the majority opinion in 2020, said nothing during the arguments.

The arguments produced some riveting moments. Justice Samuel Alito repeatedly pressed Strangio, the first openly transgender lawyer to argue at the nation's highest court, about whether transgender people should be legally designated as a group that’s susceptible to discrimination.

Strangio answered that being transgender does fit that legal definition, though he acknowledged under Alito’s questioning there are a small number of people who de-transition. “So it's not an immutable characteristic, is it?” Alito said.

Strangio did not retreat from his view, though he said the court did not have to decide the issue to resolve the case in his clients' favor.

There were dueling rallies outside the court in the hours before the arguments. Speeches and music filled the air on the sidewalk below the court’s marble steps. Advocates of the ban bore signs like “Champion God’s Design” and “Kids Health Matters,” while the other side proclaimed “Fight like a Mother for Trans Rights” and “Freedom to be Ourselves."

Four years ago, the court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/courts-supreme-courts-mi-state-wire-neil-gorsuch-ap-top-news-5a7b0e41a47a3c571dda69194758e7b1">ruled</a>&nbsp;in favor of Aimee Stephens, who was fired by a Michigan funeral home after she informed its owner that she was a transgender woman. The court held that transgender people, as well as gay and lesbian people, are protected by a landmark federal civil rights law that prohibits sex discrimination in the workplace.

The Biden administration and the families and health care providers who challenged the Tennessee law urged the justices to apply the same sort of analysis that the majority, made up of liberal and conservative justices, embraced in the case four years ago when it found that “sex plays an unmistakable role” in employers' decisions to punish transgender people for traits and behavior they otherwise tolerate.

The issue in the Tennessee case is whether the law violates the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment, which requires the government to treat similarly situated people the same.

Tennessee's law bans puberty blockers and hormone treatments for transgender minors, but allows the same drugs to be used for other purposes.

Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, the administration's top Supreme Court lawyer, called the law sex-based line drawing to ban the use of drugs that have been safely prescribed for decades and said the state “decided to completely override the views of the patients, the parents, the doctors.”

She contrasted the Tennessee law with one enacted by West Virginia, which set conditions for the health care for transgender minors, but stopped short of an outright ban.

Rice countered that lawmakers acted to regulate “risky, unproven medical interventions” and, at one point, likened the use of puberty blockers and hormone treatments to lobotomies and eugenics, now thoroughly discredited but once endorsed by large segments of the medical community.

Rice argued that the Tennessee law doesn’t discriminate based on sex, but rather based on the purpose of the treatment. Children can get puberty blockers to treat early onset puberty, but not as a treatment for gender dysphoria.

“Our fundamental point is there is no sex-based line here,” Rice said.

While the challengers invoked the 2020 ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County for support, Tennessee relied on the court's precedent-shattering Dobbs decision in 2022 that ended nationwide protections for abortion and returned the issue to the states.

The two sides battled in their legal filings over the appropriate level of scrutiny the court should apply. It's more than an academic exercise.

The lowest level is known as rational basis review and almost every law looked at that way is ultimately upheld. Indeed, the federal appeals court in Cincinnati that allowed the Tennessee law to be enforced held that lawmakers acted rationally to regulate medical procedures, well within their authority.

The appeals court reversed a trial court that employed a higher level of review, heightened scrutiny, that applies in cases of sex discrimination. Under this more searching examination, the state must identify an important objective and show that the law helps accomplish it.

If the justices opt for heightened scrutiny, they could return the case to the appeals court to apply it. That's the course Prelogar and Strangio pushed for on Wednesday, though there did not seem to be much support for it.

Gender-affirming care for youth is supported by every major medical organization, including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychiatric Association.

But Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Brett Kavanaugh all highlighted a point made by Tennessee in its legal briefs claiming that health authorities in Sweden, Finland, Norway and the United Kingdom found that the medical treatments "pose significant risks with unproven benefits.”

If those countries “are pumping the brakes on this kind of treatment," Kavanaugh said, why should the Supreme Court question Tennessee's actions?

None of those countries has adopted a ban similar to the one in Tennessee and individuals can still obtain treatment, Prelogar said.

Kavanaugh, who has coached his daughters’ youth basketball teams, also wondered whether a ruling against Tennessee would give transgender athletes "a constitutional right to participate in girls' sports.”

Prelogar said a narrow decision would not affect the sports issue.

Associated Press writers Lindsay Whitehurst, Andrew DeMillo in Little Rock, Arkansas, Geoff Mulvihill in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and Kimberlee Kruesi in Nashville, Tennessee contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733335063328.png" alt="Photo ACLU" />
 <figcaption>Photo ACLU</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Hearing a high-profile culture-war clash, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday seemed likely to uphold Tennessee's ban on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-gender-affirming-supreme-court-tennessee-c302c0e307dc1ab70f01b84bab72eaf0">gender-affirming care for minors</a>.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2024/23-477">Click here to listen to</a> a replay of the oral argumentThe justices’ decision, not expected for several months, could affect similar laws enacted by another 25 states and a range of other efforts&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/san-jose-state-volleyball-d00b36355c69f48de712339821682b52">to regulate the lives of transgender people</a>, including which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/gender-in-sports-track-and-field-roller-derby-new-york-gender-2fe769675c174632925e446f15c6294b">sports competitions</a>&nbsp;they can join and which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sarah-mcbride-speaker-johnson-transgender-bathroom-f3943e1b3b2dc9c8d62d2ba6660aaf91">bathrooms they can use</a>.The case is being weighed by a conservative-dominated court after a presidential election in which Donald Trump and his allies promised to roll back&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-harris-transgender-politics-61cff97a64fac581ffc5f762be4c57d3">protections</a>&nbsp;for transgender people, showcasing the uneasy intersection between law, politics and individual rights.The Biden administration's top Supreme Court lawyer warned a decision favorable to Tennessee also could be used to justify nationwide restrictions on transgender healthcare for minors.In arguments that lasted more than two hours, five of the six conservative justices voiced varying degrees of skepticism of arguments made by the administration and Chase Strangio, the ACLU lawyer for Tennessee families challenging the ban.Chief Justice John Roberts, who voted in the majority in a 2020 case in favor of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-transgender-rights-lgbtq-donald-trump-3bb3ace81ff32b6dec382b486ec6a772">transgender rights</a>, questioned whether judges, rather than lawmakers, should be weighing in on a question of regulating medical procedures, an area usually left to the states.”The Constitution leaves that question to the people’s representatives, rather than to nine people, none of whom is a doctor,” Roberts said in an exchange with Strangio.The court’s three liberal justices seemed firmly on the side of the challengers. But it’s not clear that any of the conservatives will go along.Justice Sonia Sotomayor pushed back against the assertion that the democratic process would be the best way to address objections to the law. She cited a history of laws discriminating against others, noting that transgender people make up less than 1% of the U.S. population, according to studies. There are an estimated 1.3 million adults and 300,000 adolescents aged 13 to 17 who identify as transgender, according the UCLA law school's Williams Institute.“Blacks were a much larger part of the population and it didn’t protect them. It didn’t protect women for whole centuries,” Sotomayor said in an exchange with Tennessee Solicitor General Matt Rice.Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said she saw some troubling parallels between arguments made by Tennessee and those advanced by Virginia and rejected by a unanimous court, in the 1967&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/c6df18d20eb141e1b55bd5c3b02bf91d">Loving decision</a>&nbsp;that legalized interracial marriage nationwide.Quoting from the 57-year-old decision, Jackson noted that Virginia argued then that “the scientific evidence is substantially in doubt and, consequently, the court should defer to the wisdom of the state legislature.”Justice Neil Gorsuch, who wrote the majority opinion in 2020, said nothing during the arguments.The arguments produced some riveting moments. Justice Samuel Alito repeatedly pressed Strangio, the first openly transgender lawyer to argue at the nation's highest court, about whether transgender people should be legally designated as a group that’s susceptible to discrimination.Strangio answered that being transgender does fit that legal definition, though he acknowledged under Alito’s questioning there are a small number of people who de-transition. “So it's not an immutable characteristic, is it?” Alito said.Strangio did not retreat from his view, though he said the court did not have to decide the issue to resolve the case in his clients' favor.There were dueling rallies outside the court in the hours before the arguments. Speeches and music filled the air on the sidewalk below the court’s marble steps. Advocates of the ban bore signs like “Champion God’s Design” and “Kids Health Matters,” while the other side proclaimed “Fight like a Mother for Trans Rights” and “Freedom to be Ourselves."Four years ago, the court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/courts-supreme-courts-mi-state-wire-neil-gorsuch-ap-top-news-5a7b0e41a47a3c571dda69194758e7b1">ruled</a>&nbsp;in favor of Aimee Stephens, who was fired by a Michigan funeral home after she informed its owner that she was a transgender woman. The court held that transgender people, as well as gay and lesbian people, are protected by a landmark federal civil rights law that prohibits sex discrimination in the workplace.The Biden administration and the families and health care providers who challenged the Tennessee law urged the justices to apply the same sort of analysis that the majority, made up of liberal and conservative justices, embraced in the case four years ago when it found that “sex plays an unmistakable role” in employers' decisions to punish transgender people for traits and behavior they otherwise tolerate.The issue in the Tennessee case is whether the law violates the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment, which requires the government to treat similarly situated people the same.Tennessee's law bans puberty blockers and hormone treatments for transgender minors, but allows the same drugs to be used for other purposes.Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, the administration's top Supreme Court lawyer, called the law sex-based line drawing to ban the use of drugs that have been safely prescribed for decades and said the state “decided to completely override the views of the patients, the parents, the doctors.”She contrasted the Tennessee law with one enacted by West Virginia, which set conditions for the health care for transgender minors, but stopped short of an outright ban.Rice countered that lawmakers acted to regulate “risky, unproven medical interventions” and, at one point, likened the use of puberty blockers and hormone treatments to lobotomies and eugenics, now thoroughly discredited but once endorsed by large segments of the medical community.Rice argued that the Tennessee law doesn’t discriminate based on sex, but rather based on the purpose of the treatment. Children can get puberty blockers to treat early onset puberty, but not as a treatment for gender dysphoria.“Our fundamental point is there is no sex-based line here,” Rice said.While the challengers invoked the 2020 ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County for support, Tennessee relied on the court's precedent-shattering Dobbs decision in 2022 that ended nationwide protections for abortion and returned the issue to the states.The two sides battled in their legal filings over the appropriate level of scrutiny the court should apply. It's more than an academic exercise.The lowest level is known as rational basis review and almost every law looked at that way is ultimately upheld. Indeed, the federal appeals court in Cincinnati that allowed the Tennessee law to be enforced held that lawmakers acted rationally to regulate medical procedures, well within their authority.The appeals court reversed a trial court that employed a higher level of review, heightened scrutiny, that applies in cases of sex discrimination. Under this more searching examination, the state must identify an important objective and show that the law helps accomplish it.If the justices opt for heightened scrutiny, they could return the case to the appeals court to apply it. That's the course Prelogar and Strangio pushed for on Wednesday, though there did not seem to be much support for it.Gender-affirming care for youth is supported by every major medical organization, including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychiatric Association.But Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Brett Kavanaugh all highlighted a point made by Tennessee in its legal briefs claiming that health authorities in Sweden, Finland, Norway and the United Kingdom found that the medical treatments "pose significant risks with unproven benefits.”If those countries “are pumping the brakes on this kind of treatment," Kavanaugh said, why should the Supreme Court question Tennessee's actions?None of those countries has adopted a ban similar to the one in Tennessee and individuals can still obtain treatment, Prelogar said.Kavanaugh, who has coached his daughters’ youth basketball teams, also wondered whether a ruling against Tennessee would give transgender athletes "a constitutional right to participate in girls' sports.”Prelogar said a narrow decision would not affect the sports issue.___Associated Press writers Lindsay Whitehurst, Andrew DeMillo in Little Rock, Arkansas, Geoff Mulvihill in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and Kimberlee Kruesi in Nashville, Tennessee contributed to this report.