HEAD COACH ANDY REID
OPENING STATEMENT: “As far as the injuries go, really, (Isiah) Pacheco’s the only one to announce. He’s been put on IR (and) he’s having surgery today. I can’t give you a time when he’ll return. We’ll just see if it’s this season or next season. We’ll see how he does as he goes here. Other than that, there are no other injuries – everybody else will practice today. (We) look forward to the challenge of playing the Falcons. That’s a great environment down there at their stadium and (Falcons Head Coach) Raheem’s (Morris) done a heck of a job with that group, which was obvious Monday night. Between (Falcons Defensive Coordinator) Jimmy (Lake) and (Falcons Offensive Coordinator) Zac (Robinson) and (Falcons Special Teams Coordinator) Marquice (Williams), they’ve got great coordinators and coaches, and they’ve got good players on top of that (laughs). We need to have a good week of practice, starting today and I know our guys are looking forward to the challenge of playing a good football team like this. With that, time’s yours.”
Q: What are your plans for Kareem Hunt?
REID: “We’ll get him (Kareem Hunt) in here and get (him) some work. Kind of get him back into the swing of playing and then we’ll just see. As the game gets closer, we’ll see how things go there and so on, but we’ll try to get him in a position where he’s ready to play either this week, next week or the following week. We’ll just see how long it takes.”
Q: So, there’s a chance that Kareem Hunt can play against Atlanta?
REID: “Yeah, there’s a chance. (We’re) going to try and see where we’re at as far as the other part but we’ve got other guys that can jump in and play for him.”
Q: The Chiefs released Kareem Hunt pretty quickly after the incident a few years ago. How do you reconcile that action with bringing him back now?
REID: “It’s really – what we told him (Kareem Hunt) and probably – we just thought he needed a change a scenery and to get some help and (to) take care of business there. We felt like he did that, and he did a nice job in Cleveland. We talked to the people there (in Cleveland) and there were no issues there and we felt okay by bringing him back. He’s 29 years old now so – time flies but he’s 29 years old and looks like he’s grown up some.”
Q: Is this the first time that you’ve had the conversation about bringing Kareem Hunt back?
REID: “Where it was real, yes.”
Q: What we’re your conversations like when you were deciding to bring him back?
REID: “Just calling around and making sure things were okay – Pat (Mahomes) stayed good friends with him (Kareem Hunt), so he was at Pat’s wedding. Those two (Patrick Mahomes and Kareem Hunt) came out in the same (draft) class and developed a friendship here. Then, their (the Cleveland Browns) General Manager (Andrew Berry) spoke highly of him – coaches and so on, so we felt good about it.”
Q: Did you need to have specific conversation points with Kareem Hunt?
REID: “I was at the wedding (Patrick Mahomes’ wedding), I talked to him (Kareem Hunt) there. I also talked to him there and then I also talked to him before he got here and when he got here.”
Q: Were the conversations with Kareem Hunt the type of conversations where you felt like you needed to speak about the past?
REID: “Just make sure that you keep your nose clean, right? That’s the important part and go play football. I think people deserve a second chance if they’ve done something to work on the first part of it.”
Q: If everything goes well on the field with Kareem Hunt, is there a specific role that you see him taking on?
REID: “I want to see where he’s (Kareem Hunt) at. I want to see him out there working today and where he’s at. I’ll probably have him doing more scout team stuff today than actually in with the group but let’s see where he’s at and I’ll be able to judge it from there. He’ll have some retention from the stuff that we’ve done here and he’s a sharp kid. He can pick everything up that’s new but let’s get him started first and kind of see where we’re at with him.”
Q: It’s been a tough 10 days or so with the injury news. What’s the message to the guys that are left to play and moving forward?
REID: “Listen, our hearts go out for those kids first. Both of those guys (Hollywood Brown and Isiah Pacheco) love to play the game but we’re also fortunate to have good players here that can step in, and we expect them to step up and play. That’s a tribute to (General Manager) Brett (Veach) and his staff.
Q: You elevated Keaontay Ingram to the active roster. What do you like about him?
REID: “He (Keaontay Ingram) had a really good camp for us. (We) felt comfortable with him moving up. Like I said, if you’re moved up, you’re expected to be ready to play and I think he’s done that. He’s worked hard on the scout team part of it, stayed in tuned with the offense (and) he’s in all the meetings so felt he was ready for that.”
Q: How quickly can Kareem Hunt pick up the playbook since it’s been a while since he’s been here?
REID: “He’ll (Kareem Hunt) know the base protections (and) he’ll know the base runs. Some of the routes are a bit new but we’re not flexing him out and making him do all that, so he’s just got to – some of the terminology – he’s just got to hear some of the route terminology. Right now, it’s job specific for that team. It’s not like you’re coming into training camp, and you’ve got 300 plays (to learn), so he’s just got to make sure he stays in tune with that.”
Q: You’ve been really good on the road. What are the conditions that you’ve created to have the mindset to be successful on the road?
REID: “Well, this is a loud venue (Mercedes-Benz Stadium), so you’ve got to be able to handle the noise. Then, you have to come in with the right attitude. I mean, that’s how it is. We try to keep it as consistent as we can with the travel part and times for meetings and such. That’s what we do. Every game’s a challenge in itself so whatever we did before doesn’t matter for right now. We’ve just got to make sure that we prepare ourselves for it.”
Q: A lot of teams around the league are passing the ball short. What are the benefits of short passes? What’s the explanation for it?
REID: “Some of it’s the matchups according to coverage, depending on what teams do. Our run game was effective this past week, so we used that more than the down the field stuff. It just depends on the matchups. I think most people will tell you that. Some of the teams that are throwing down the field had a little bit more space and different coverages to work with where they could do that.”
Q: What did you see on tape from Kareem Hunt last year? What about from the workout that you guys had with him?
REID: “He (Kareem Hunt) had had a sports hernia surgery done a bit ago, so I think he was probably affected by that a little bit, just coming back off of that. I still saw the burst (and) the toughness when he got back in there and then we worked him out here and felt good about it. We’ll see – he’s getting up there (in age). The running backs they – he’s 29 years old, that’s – for a running back, that’s old.”
Q: Before Isiah Pacheco’s injury, was there ever a thought that you might be able to coach Kareem Hunt again?
REID: “No, but I think we meant what we said that you know, you need to take care of this. This isn’t good as you go through life for anybody. It seems like he has a grasp on that, and I know he’s done good here since that point and I anticipate that that continues. If that wasn’t the case, we wouldn’t have brought him back.”
Q: Terrell Owens had the same injury that Isiah Pacheco had, what do you remember about his journey coming back that same season?
REID: “I thought that T.O. (Terrell Owens) attacked it. He was going to play in the Super Bowl, I mean that’s what he was going to do. No matter what, he was going to play in that Super Bowl. Between the chamber he was sleeping in and living basically with (VP of Sports Medicine & Performance) Rick (Burkholder) all day, he was able to come back relatively quick. The thing you can learn from that is you attack the injury to stay positive with it. Everybody is different but the fact that he wasn’t going to be denied that opportunity. (Isiah) Pacheco like T.O., Pacheco is one of those guys that you have to back off and I know this is how he’ll do. He wasn’t going to allow anybody to get him off that field. Even if he had to crawl off of there, he was going to get off the field. That’s just how he’s wired but I would tell you that within reason and the guidance of Rick, I know he’ll get himself back and ready to go whenever that is, as fast as he can.”
Q: It’s National Cheeseburger Day, are you going to celebrate?
REID: “Yeah, (Pat) McAfee just sent me a cheeseburger from McDonalds. I thought that was unique. McAfee’s unique so I can’t wait to enjoy it.”
Chiefs Player Quotes
September 18, 2024
QB PATRICK MAHOMES
Q: What has Kareem Hunt’s journey been like from your perspective since he left here?
MAHOMES: “Obviously, Kareem (Hunt) was a close friend of mine while he was here, just being in the same draft class (and) everything like that – (he) came to my wedding. But obviously, he went to Cleveland, has had a good career there, has learned and become a better person and I’m glad to have him back now. Let’s get him accustomed to the offense and see how fast we can get him out there.”
Q: What have conversations been like with Kareem Hunt over the past few days?
MAHOMES: “I knew he (Kareem Hunt) was coming into the building. Obviously, I know he had to go through his workout process and meeting with the coaches and (General Manager Brett) Veach and everybody. At the end of the day, man, I just root for the person to keep becoming a better and better person and the football is secondary, but I’m glad to have him back and in the building. I gave him a high five and a hug when I saw him because it’s a person that I used to spend a lot of time with a long time ago.”
Q: What was it like to experience those past behavioral issues as Kareem Hunt’s friend and teammate?
MAHOMES: “Anyone – everybody has friends that make mistakes and obviously, some are bigger than others, but at the same time, you want to make the person better, and you want to see them taking the right steps to become a better person for themselves, their family and the rest of society. I think you’ve seen that with Kareem (Hunt). I’ve stayed in touch with him just to see how he’s doing, how his family’s doing and everything like that. He’s been able to carve out a great career in the NFL, but you’ve seen (how) he’s been able to keep his nose clean and be a better person and that’s what you want in order to make everybody better people.”
Q: What can you expect, production wise, from Kareem Hunt on the field once he gets caught up with the playbook?
MAHOMES: “A guy that plays hard, plays physical, catches the ball out of the backfield, still has explosion in between the tackles. We have a lot of guys in that running back room now that are going to have a chance to kind of take up some of that role while Isiah (Pacheco) is out. They’re ready for it and I’m glad that (General Manager Brett) Veach has built such a great running back room and adding Kareem (Hunt) is just going to be another step in that of taking a vital role of this team until we can get Pop (Isiah Pacheco) back.”
Q: Who do you expect to start at left tackle?
MAHOMES: “I don’t make those decisions. At the end of the day, I have a lot of trust in both those guys. I though Kingsley (Suamataia) had good snaps (and) had bad snaps. It’s just part of the process of being a rookie going up against a great pass rusher. I think you saw he took accountability, he’s learning from it, and then Wanya (Morris) has played snaps as well and he’s done great things and he’s getting better and better. I think the coaches will at the end of the day make a determination (that) they think is best for the team, but I trust both those guys – whoever’s out there.”
Q: How do you replicate the pop and energy that Isiah Pacheco brings to the offense?
MAHOMES: “That’s going to everybody. That’s not going to be just that running back room. You said it, the energy that he brings, the way he runs the football, the way he pops up, he’s always (in a) positive mindset. That’s going to take other guys to step up with (and) it starts with me. I have to bring that mindset. I have to play better football (and) put guys in better positions, but at the same time, I have to keep the energy going. That’s a special thing that Pop (Isiah Pacheco) does. I don’t think one person can do that (and) have that amount of energy and play that hard. I mean, it really is a special characteristic of him. I think the whole team can come together and bring that energy in his absence.”
Q: What was your message to Isiah Pacheco on how to deal with that injury?
MAHOMES: “He (Isiah Pacheco) loves the game, so he wants to be out there, and he puts so much work into it. I think at first, you obviously are upset that you have the injury, but if I know anything, I know that man is going to be getting after it. It’s going to be more about the trainers having to hold him back than him not getting in and getting the work because he loves it so much, man. He’s in the building, he’s working. I’m excited for the comeback, man, because he’s going to comeback ready to go whenever he gets back.”
Q: On Isiah Pacheco not letting anyone help him off the field.
MAHOMES: “I didn’t see the tackle because of the angle that I was at. I’ve seen it obviously now. The fact that he (Isiah Pacheco) popped up and he was like running off the field – I think he was trying to get back on the field and that just speaks to the kind of competitor that he is. I didn’t realize it was as serious of an injury until after the game (because) of the moment that we were in. Like I said, he’s going to attack it, man. He’ll be back sooner rather than later.”
Q: What’s the mindset required to have success on the road? Is it different than any other game?
MAHOMES: “I think the mindset is that you have to just come in with the mentality and really sharpen up on your details which I think offensively we have to do anyways, starting with me. This is a good team, a lot of great players. I’ve played against a lot of these guys that are all in one spot now with a great defensive scheme and it’s going to be a great environment, Sunday Night Football in Atlanta. We’re going to have to sharpen up our stuff offensively, defense is playing great, they’re going to keep playing good. We have to continue to get better and better at the little things so that we can go out there and just play free when we get there.”
Q: What are the challenges of going up against Falcons Head Coach Raheem Morris’ defense?
MAHOMES: “First off, his (Falcons Head Coach Raheem Morris) schemes – he has really a good scheme. He has a good understanding of defenses and what the offense is trying to attack in his defense. I think that, along with he’s very gameplan specific so even though he has his scheme and has things that he works on, he tries to take away what you’re best at. That’s what all the best defensive coordinators do and now he’s a head coach and you can see just from the little interaction I’ve had with him and the interactions I’ve seen, he’s a great leader. I think that’s something that every player that you see that’s played on one of his teams, offense or defensively has said. It’s going to be a great challenge for us, man and I’m excited for it.”
Q: You’ve thrown a lot of passes that are either at or behind the line of scrimmage and it seems to have become a league wide thing. What do you think attributes to this?
MAHOMES: “I think this last week in general I didn’t play to my standard, so I think I have to be better. There were some opportunities down the middle areas of the field that I think I missed. We hit obviously the deep one to Rashee (Rice) but whenever teams take away the deep stuff, you have to throw it underneath, but you still have to have the ability to threaten the middle of the field so that’s something that I will continue to get better at and then limiting mistakes from myself. I think across the league, teams are going to make you drive the entire field. I think that’s just kind of the thought process and then trying not to let you score in the redzone but there are opportunities out there and you just have to execute it at a higher level, there’s not as many as maybe I’ve had previously.”
Q: You mentioned that you have to get better with the details, is that just your selection of where to put the ball?
MAHOMES: “Yeah, that – just with the tight zone coverages kind of the match zone coverages that you’re playing, the windows aren’t big. You have to be on time, even if you look at the first interception I threw, I think Travis (Kelce) had a window there, I was just late to that window. Just being on time and if you don’t, the defenses are collapsing those windows quick. There’s just the little things that I have to be better at – at getting the ball there on time, accurately and not making the mistakes at the same time. It’s just stuff that you have to continue to work on throughout the season. We have to be better; I have to be better as the season goes on.”
CB TRENT MCDUFFIE
Q: How do you think you are doing now that you are the go-to guy?
MCDUFFIE: “I think I’m doing my job good. Definitely things that I have to clean up on the backend as far as communication, as far as technique wise. (I’m) kind of still getting comfortable out there at the corner position and playing that role that (Defensive Coordinator) Coach (Steve) Spags (Spagnuolo) wants me to play. I thought I did a good job at just making sure everybody knows where I’m at on the field. Having to travel, a lot of guys have to go to different places so just being vocal about that and just letting people know where I’m at on the field is kind of something that I’m trying to work on a little bit better.”
Q: Can you sum up how you guys are so effective on the last couple drives of the games?
MCDUFFIE: “Man, (Defensive Coordinator) Coach (Steve) Spags (Spagnuolo) always talks about the four most important drives of a game and it’s the first drive coming out of the first quarter, third quarter and then the end of the game, second half and first half. When you get to that fourth quarter, I mean that’s where you win games, no matter how much you’re down, no matter how much you’re up, it all comes down to the last few drives because that’s where the offense is going to give you their best plays, that’s where all your mistakes kind of get cleaned up and all your checks after halftime come in so really just focusing on being at your best in the fourth quarter, I think, is what we’ve done a great job at here and something that we continue to work on each and every year.”
Q: On Chamarri Conner.
MCDUFFIE: “I mean you see it when he’s (Chamarri Conner) in there at nickel, it’s not easy, especially as someone who came in as a safety. He has to come down and play all these fast guys and read run, read pass and play man-to-man, but he’s one of those guys that just keeps stacking days. I always talk about just being as consistent as you can be and he’s one of those guys all the way from last year, I mean he didn’t play a lot of nickel, he jumped in a lot at the end of the season. It wasn’t perfect at the beginning but he’s just continued to ask the right questions, he’s always talking to me, ‘What do you see here? What should I do here?’ The best part I love about Chamarri is he’s 100% whenever he’s on the field. You always see max effort, great tackles and he’s just one of those guys that you want on the field because he’s always around the ball and always making plays.”