KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Chiefs’ Head Coach Andy Reid talks football Friday during a presser at Arrowhead Stadium.
OPENING STATEMENT: “These are the guys who didn’t practice today, Jordan Lucas had some back spasms, he didn’t practice today. Xavier Williams was sick so he didn’t practice today, and then we should be okay there. Look forward to the challenge of playing the Jags. We know they’re a good football team, they’re well coached. They have good personnel and we look forward to that challenge of playing against them. I think by now everyone knows about Tyreek Hill’s contract extension. It’s great to have him for a few more years here and you know how good he plays. He’s a good football player. My hat goes off to Drew (Rosenhaus), who is his agent, and Brett Veach for working the contract out and allowing us to have Tyreek here for a few more years. With that, time is yours.”
Q: How important was it to get that deal done before the first game of the season?
REID: “I’m not in that business anymore. I hope he can still run fast with all that money in his pocket, so that’s good.”
Q: Are there any negotiations going on with Chris Jones’ representation?
REID: “We don’t get in to all of that.”
Q: With Tyreek’s tumultuous offseason, was there ever a point where you didn’t think you would get to where you are today?
REID: “So he signed up. I think that probably speaks for itself. You have the answer to your question. By us signing him we obviously felt pretty good about it.”
Q: What makes Tyreek Hill so special and how special is he?
REID: “By all the things we do with him and all the places we put him in the offense, he’s a special player. I think if you look through the league and talk to different people in the league, as you guys do, I think you understand that. Then you can tell by our offense and how we use him, he’s important to the offense.”
Q: With Tyreek Hill coming back at the beginning of training camp, was there anything you saw in his maturity level or how players interacted with him before training camp?
REID: “So we felt it was important he took care of business during the OTAs, that’s why he wasn’t here. It was good to get him back in there. His teammates were always on board with him and that wasn’t an issue at all. Him stepping back in wasn’t a big deal as far as the football part goes. I don’t think there was ever a question with his teammates when he wasn’t here. They understood the situation and the time he needed to take to make sure everything was resolved and here we are.”
Q: How has LeSean (McCoy) taken to the playbook in his first week of practice?
REID: “He’s done a good job with it and we will see. We just added another load on him today with the red zone. So I’ll talk to Deland (McCullough) and Eric Bieniemy and we’ll see how he handled it. Over on the sideline, that’s where he’s at talking to his coaches and I’m in the middle of the field. I presume he was able to handle that okay.”
Q: What are you thinking about for your defense going into Sunday?
REID: “I just want them to go out there and play and continue to grow through the season. I think that will be important. There are a lot of new, moving parts there. They’ve worked so stinking hard during the OTAs and during camp. I think they’re going to be fine there.”
Q: Did you see the Royals wearing their Chiefs jerseys yesterday?
REID: “Yes, I should’ve mentioned that. Ned (Yost), you’re looking good dude. That might be the best you’ve ever looked wearing that uni. You and Randy Reid can get together. But listen, we appreciate their support. We had a bunch of guys out at practice and they’re good guys. To have that relationship with them is special. We’re kind of in each other’s backyard here and Ned has always opened the door up for us to go over there and watch their practices or come to games, and we’ve done the same things here. It’s a great relationship that the two organizations have.”
Q: It is really unique, isn’t it, how the two teams interact?
REID: “Absolutely. I’ve been in Philadelphia, we had a good relationship there likewise. I think proximity matters there. We’re so close and it would be a mess if we didn’t have a good relationship, I think. I can see how that happens. I’m sure that’s taken place at other places, but it’s phenomenal with what we have here.”
Q: It’s going to be in the upper 90s on Sunday, what have you done to prepare the team?
REID: “Well the last couple of days, you guys have been standing through it so you know, it’s been warm here. The guys came out here and worked hard and then you have to go play. That’s how it is. They’re going through the same thing you’re going through.”
Q: What sort of a force can Leonard Fournette be for Jacksonville and how important is it to stop him?
REID: “He’s a heck of a football player now. I think on his own he dropped some weight and feels good. He’s somebody you have to take care of. We’ll have our eye on him for sure.”
Q: Can you talk about the strengths and weaknesses of the Jacksonville Jaguars?
REID: “I don’t know any weaknesses. They’re pretty good. Again, the first game will be a test for both teams coming off the offseason, knowing there’s room to grow in a lot of areas. They’re well coached and they have good players. We have to make sure we play a good, sound football game in all three phases. Special teams included.”
Q: In the preseason, you said Andrew Wylie and Cam Erving are both starters, Wylie will get the first crack at it this game?
REID: “Possibly. Both of them, we still consider both of them starters. If (Andrew) Wylie goes, he goes. If (Cam) Erving goes, he goes. It really doesn’t matter there.”