Andy Reid Quotes: Dec 14

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid talks at a news conference after an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals in Glendale, Ariz., Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022. The Chiefs won 44-21. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Andy Reid Quotes: Dec 14

Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid Quotes

December 14, 2022

OPENING STATEMENT: “Alright, (I) really don’t have any injuries to talk about. Mecole Hardman will be back out at practice (today) and we’ll just see how he does in this ramp-up process. (We) haven’t determined (if he will) play or not play, we’re just going to ease him back in and see where he’s at. Everybody else will practice and do their thing. (We) look forward to the challenge of playing the Texans. We, again, we know records, you can put those things aside at this time of the year. This group here plays hard. They’re well coached, and we’ve got to make sure that we have a good week of practice and get ready. With that, time’s yours.”

Q: How close is Kadarius Toney to actually getting back on the field in the live action?

REID: “So, he had a little bit of a ramp up last week, which was good. (He) came out of that feeling pretty good, so we’ll see how he does this week and make a decision down the road here. So (we’ll) take it day by day if you want to put that. (We’ll) just see how he does.”

Q: The previous week Patrick Mahomes said he had to eliminate one ‘dumb play’ a game and this week he said he had a bad play with the interception. What have you guys talked about to try to eliminate those plays as you get into the stretch?

REID: “Well, nobody likes to make those, but at the same time you don’t want to curve his aggressiveness and desire to make a play because he made a couple of good ones too in there. That’s not going to happen very often with him. It’s happens with every quarterback, but they got to keep firing. You start getting hesitant and then everything falls apart on you. So, he’ll learn from it and move on. It’s pretty simple things that he can adjust to fix it and that’s how he’s wired. He’s going to go back and look at it, study it and go, ‘Ok, got it under control. Here we go.’”

Q: When defenses blitz, is the offensive structure that of which there’s always something for that? Or is it that you got to get to a different spot on the play sheet and have the right dial up for when they do that?

REID: “You hope that it’s situated within it. However, there are some things that are better than others, but you don’t want to get caught in a guessing game. If you have a true, hard, sole tendency there that they’re doing this on this down or this particular part of the field, then you can dial up one of these other players. But normally, your normal plays that we put in for the different areas normally cover that in there somewhere.”

Q: You often come out and say, “Hey, I got to give him better things.” Mahomes comes out and says, “I got to make better decisions.” It’s obviously a joint effort between you guys and the whole staff and everything, but how often do you feel like ‘Oh wow! They got me,” that you just have to tip your cap to the other coach?

REID: “Yeah, when I tell you that I’m kind of tipping my hat to him. That’s the fun part, it’s a chess match and every once in a while, they’re going to get you and you hope you get them more than they get you. And so, there’s some great minds in this league and good football minds and so, they’re going to get you every once in a while.”

Q: With your pursuit of JuJu Smith-Schuster the year prior, just what has he given the offense that perhaps you anticipated on his arrival and perhaps that you didn’t anticipate it?

REID: “We were hoping that he could kind of counter (Travis) Kelce – and this offense is best when you can kind of do that. We had Sammy (Watkins) and then (Byron) Pringle developed into that as we went. And that’s when it rolls the best. And so, he’s come in and (has) done that and does a nice job with it. He’s got a great feel for the game. He’s got great feel in space. And then he’s really tough to bring down and I kind of forgot about that part (laughter). After he gets that ball in his hands, man, you try to hit him in his lower body, he can shuck it off like a running back. That’s special to have that.”

Q: How did Mecole Hardman do these last four weeks behind the scenes? What are the unique traits maybe you felt like you missed?

REID: “He lost a bunch of weight and so it was a matter of kind of getting that back, but not with cheeseburgers (laughter). But to get back some good, hearty weight and strength. And so, he’s been working on that. He’s been working like crazy on that. And he’s going to continue to do that here. He’ll do that this week when he’s out practicing and doing that. Ok, can we hold the weight and add a little bit to it.”

Q: You mentioned to throw the records out when you’re facing a team that’s struggled with wins and losses. They’ve obviously battled hard, they almost won last week. Lovie Smith is a coach that you’ve seen in the past. What does a Texans Head Coach Lovie Smith team look like traditionally and has this team got some of those characteristics?

REID: “Yeah, I’m friends with (Texans Head Coach) Lovie (Smith). I think he’s a heck of a guy and a great coach. So, I know that he came from that Tampa two group of coaches that did that. He’s evolved with that and with the way the game is now, so he’s going to give you a great defense that plays hard and aggressive, an offense that’s tough. Just the fact that they use two quarterbacks and platooned them – it wasn’t because one wasn’t doing well – but they platooned him in and he’s not afraid to do whatever he has to do to win the game. And so, that’s where the challenge comes in and his guys play hard for him. So you have to be prepared and ready to go. In this league, the margin between winning and losing is like that. It’s just, it’s crazy, but greater than it’s ever been right now.”

Q: Your years at BYU overlapped with former college coach Mike Leach’s and I’m wondering if you ever came across him.

REID: “Yeah, no, that was after – that was before me. I’m a little bit older but. I knew (former college coach) Mike (Leach). (He was a) good guy and very creative. He didn’t visit here, but he spent some time with us in Philadelphia during training camp a couple of different times and just a good guy. It’s a sad deal. He left a nice legacy behind him, for sure, for football. Like I said, very unique. I love the story he told me about – I said – you know Donald Trump – we got talking about that years ago even before Donald (Trump) was the president. And he goes, ‘Oh yeah, I was walking through New York. I saw the tower. Went up, introduced myself to him.’ Like it was no big deal (laughter). He talked himself through. Donald had security back then too. He talked himself through that and then Donald found him, that kind of person out. He was just a unique, unique guy. And that’s the way he coached. And that’s why everybody loved him – for that.”

Q: On Mahomes being a descendant of Mike Leach’s tree.

REID: “Yeah, sure, yeah. Yeah his coach (former Texas Tech Head Coach Kliff Kingsbury), (he) played for him or worked with him.”

Q: NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Troy Vincent said this morning at the league meeting there would be a ‘healthy discussion’ on making roughing the passer either reviewable or challengeable so the discussions will come up in March at the owners meeting. How much do you support this sudden movement to make that roughing the passer penalty reviewable?

REID: “I’m going hold off on that (laughter) because I’m going to be in those meetings. So, (I’ll) just sit on the picket fence on that one (laughter).”

Q: With Giants Offensive Coordinator Mike Kafka being an offensive coordinator for the first time, have you had a conversation with him? Have you had time to look at what the Giants have done? Obviously, they’re in a playoff push, but just seeing another guy of yours being in that role for the first time.

REID: “Yeah, we’ve texted back and forth. We’re both busy and cranking away. You don’t have a lot of time to (make) phone calls and so, but we have texted. I think he’s done a tremendous job and they’re playing good football. My hat goes off to him and (Giants Head Coach Brian) Daboll too. Daboll was here, you guys know him. What a great job. That’s a tough place that whole Eastern seaboard area. And then that’s great competition right there. I think – my hat goes off to those guys.”

Q: Usually by this time of the year you’ve got a pretty good idea of where you guys are, but with the secondary being so young, how much are you still learning about the strengths and weaknesses, what you guys can do with them?

REID: “Yeah, so they’re kind of getting through that part of the year where the bowl games are starting, seasons (are) over and now you got another season. So, they kind of go through that whole rookie thing. And if they’re playing, they have the chance to play and they’re going, ‘Man, my body’s a little of this and my mind’s a little of this and I got to power through it and here we go.’ But I love their attitude. I love the way they compete, and I love the way they’re getting better. Earlier it was leaps and bounds and now it’s settled down a little bit to where it’s smaller jumps, but we’re going to be ok there. The attitudes (have) got to stay the way it is and keep competing and have a short memory when you’re back there. That’s one thing you have to learn in this league, that you better learn from it. Get that in there and then get the garbage out and then go compete the next play.”