Read quotes from Chiefs Training Camp, from July 24:
T DARIAN KINNARD
Q: I know college and the NFL are very different. But is there anything unique you’ve been able to see about an Andy Reid camp so far?
KINNARD: “Of course. I’ve been told he prides himself on having one of the toughest camps because when we get in season we’ve already been through the grinder, been through the ringer, and when we’re out there we feel 100% confident that we’re going to be more physically tough than other teams and be more physically in shape than other teams. So, when the season comes around, I feel we’re going to be very confident in what we’re going to do for the game.”
Q: With only four linemen in camp right now how much do you sense you’re gaining being able to play two hours at right tackle before the vets get here?
KINNARD: “The biggest thing for me right now is just learning the whole offense. If you don’t know what you’re doing regardless of what position you’re at you’re not going to be any help, so my biggest thing is just understanding what tackles do, what guards do and just try to do my best to make sure I’m mentally prepared for when we get out there and we’re going full speed with everybody.”
Q: How much are you looking forward to these 1-on-1s? I know you take it a day at a time, but how excited are you for those when the vets get out here?
KINNARD: “Like you said, one step at a time. But you know I will be excited to be able to show what I have. But at the end of the day, it’s a learning process everybody’s going to get got one time we’re all here, the best of the best, it’s just about a learning experience and getting better every day.”
Q: In camp here taking reps on both the right and left side of the line other than just being revered are there any big differences playing on the left verse the right?
KINNARD: “You know everything is more fine-detailed, more fine-tuned at this level. I’ve been hammering right tackle for the past four years in college and now when I switch it’s like ‘Okay, I’ve got to lock in even more on what I’m doing.’ More fine-tuned on how far I’m stepping, where I’m putting my hands. You know the biggest thing is steps one, two and three for me especially coming off the left side. But it’s a big difference. You feel it, it feels kind of awkward, kind of goofy at first but it’s just about getting the reps in.”
DB JOSHUA WILLIAMS
Q: How have you been adjusting so far?
WILLIAMS: “It has been great! The coaches we have, they’re always pushing you along, they’re always telling you how to adjust quicker. So, it’s not really getting thrown into a fire, it’s telling you what to expect, how to do certain things, how to go about it and how to prepare. It’s definitely not super smooth but it’s doable if you prepare yourself.”
Q: How did you prepare between the break from minicamp to here? What did you do and what did you focus on?
WILLIAMS: “The main thing was just getting into my playbook, of course, because going from college to an NFL playbook is very different. So, making sure I understood my assignments, alignments, techniques and all of that. Of course, getting in shape to come out here and get all these reps. So, a lot of it was pretty cut and dry. Not too much to think about.”
Q: On pass breakup against Skyy Moore.
WILLIAMS: “Skyy (Moore) is a fast dude. He’s coming off the line and luckily, I was just blessed enough to get out of my break fast enough to break up the pass. You know, there’s a lot of great receivers on this team. So, any time I am guarding any of them in the open field, I’m getting better. I love getting the competition and getting the work. I’m sure there’s a rep where Skyy (Moore) caught a ball on me.”
Q: Does it feel extra special when it comes against a former MVP in (Patrick) Mahomes?
WILLIAMS: “Oh, that’s a very different thing! Coming from a small school and meeting Patrick Mahomes, somebody who has reached the heights of this league, and for him to be as humble as he is. Like I said, there’s a lot of guys that’s always helping you, pushing you along, keeping you motivated, he’s one of those dudes. A great person and he is what he is, a great player.”
LB LEO CHENAL
Q: Are you feeling better today?
CHENAL: “You know it! I’m ready to go.”
Q: How surprising was the humidity for you considering you’re from Wisconsin?
CHENAL: “I’ve been working out, out here (for) the last couple of months – OTAs, rookie minicamp. Back then it was only in the 85, 90 top. Getting up to 105, sometimes, with the sun shining, it is a little different, something you got to adjust to. But it’s just what you got to do when you come from Wisconsin.”
Q: How did you feel with the pick at the end of practice?
CHENAL: “I was just doing my job, really. Just putting myself in the right spot, doing what the coaches told me to do. Those plays are going to come if we’re assignment-sound, so it’s just a credit to the defense and us learning what we’re supposed to be doing.”
Q: Fans were excited when you were drafted because of how violent you are on the field. With things going the other way, how are things going in coverage so far and how are you getting more competitive in that regard?
CHENAL: “Yeah, I definitely pride myself in the violence, physicality part. I love that part of the game. That’s football to me. But, with a more passing league now, it’s an opportunity to progress in that area. I just got to continue to learn, put myself in uncomfortable situations. That’s how you become a better football player.”
TE JODY FORTSON
Q: Last year it was kind of a tale of two halves of the year. The highs of making the team and then the injury, how did you deal with that point and how much of that did you take away to help you prepare for this year?
FORTSON: “First of all, I just kept my faith. I got a strong support system especially with my family and my team around me. So, I just attacked every day as if I was going to play on Sunday. I was in the rehab room just working, continuing to work as if I was going to suit up that Sunday. They never really allowed me to get down on myself, so I was never actually down.”
Q: When you say ‘they’ wouldn’t let me get down, who are you speaking of?
FORTSON: “I’m speaking of my mom, Jay Laney (god mother),(family), (Head) Coach (Andy) Reid, (Offensive Coordinator) Eric Bieniemy, the athletic training room, Tiff (Assistant Athletic Trainer Tiffany Morton). She was very hands on with my rehab. Like I owe a lot to God, but I owe a lot to her because she really was very hands on and didn’t really let me give up. There were some days where I was like ‘Tiff, I don’t want to do this’, but she stayed on me and made sure I fought through it, so shoutout to Tiff.”
Q: Last offseason you worked on blocking to help you transition to TE. Outside of recuperating during this offseason, what did you focus on for your craft?
FORTSON: “Patience. Not rushing my routes so quickly, allowing everything just to, seeing where I fit into the puzzle, where I fit into the grand scheme of things, not trying to be, not trying to do too much. Trying to do my job to the best of my ability.”
Q: Is there a different confidence coming into a camp like this because you already lived part of your dream, obviously now it’s a new era of getting back to doing what you were doing? Or is there sort of the same mentality going into this year?
FORTSON: “Same mentality. It’s just, it’s a dog-eat-dog environment. That’s how I see it. What kind of dog are you going to be?”