Press Conference 4/20: Head Coach Andy Reid from The Mothership
OPENING STATEMENT: "Welcome back, it's good to see everybody. It was good to see our players today. We're excited that they are back in town and we are able to start phase one today of the three phases that we are given in the offseason program. Phase one consists of the opportunity for the players to lift and condition and then they can meet in the classrooms with the coaches. There is no on-field work for them with coaches. The receivers and quarterbacks do have the opportunity to go out and throw at this time. But again, only those positions. With that, I'll turn it over to you folks."
Q: Is everybody here?
REID: "We are missing a couple guys. Two of which are related towards their academics, S (Daniel) Sorensen and OL (Laurent) Duvernay-Tardif. Sorensen is graduating and Duvernay is finishing up his residency. LB
Justin Houston isn't here and SEric Berry isn't here for obvious reasons."
Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid: Nine Things We Learned from The Mothership
Reid provided an update on several players who were injured last season.
Reid confirmed QB
Alex Smith (lacerated spleen) has been cleared after the injury at the end of last season, LBsDerrick Johnson andMike DeVito (ruptured Achilles) have been working out since a few months ago, OLJeff Allen is back and SSanders Commings (fractured ankle and fibula) is working, but joked that he does not intend to practice him the first day of training camp."I told [Dorsey] we just won't let him practice the first day and he'll be OK," Reid said. "He's been hurt the last two times we've done that. [Commings] will help us down the road here."
Reid said S Eric Berry "is doing very well."
"He's got a couple treatments left," Reid said. "Those treatments, they kind of knock the dog out of you, but he's fought through it and he's working out like a wild man."
Press Conference 4/20: QB Alex Smith from The Mothership
Q: Did you get a chance to throw with
Jeremy Maclin today?SMITH: "Yeah, a little bit. Got him out there."
Q: Did you throw with him outside or inside?
SMITH: "We went inside, just stayed inside. Yeah, it was good. Good to kind of get going on the first day. I had met him a few times and been around him and talked to him on the phone since we signed him, but it was great to get face to face and throw a little bit."
Q: Did you run routes with him and how was it?
SMITH: "Yeah, we did a little bit of work. It was tough, today was a special teams day. The rest of those guys are in there so it was kind of limited. We had a few of the guys out there, (Travis) Kelce, some of those guys that aren't on special teams we grabbed and we were able to do a little bit of work. Tomorrow will be a bigger day."
Chiefs QB Alex Smith Discusses Changes Along OL, Jeremy Maclin and More from The Mothership
It was an eventful offseason for the Kansas City Chiefs, particularly on the offensive side of the ball.
They signed free agent receiver
Jeremy Maclin , traded for two-time Pro Bowl guardBen Grubbs and signed veteran OLPaul Fanaika .Plus, Rodney Hudson, who had started and played over 1,000 snaps at center over the past two seasons, signed with the Oakland Raiders.
That means there will be plenty of new faces in new places for the offense in 2015, which, when you're talking about three interior offensive linemen plus a receiver, significantly affects the quarterback position.
Smith spoke about the Chiefs offseason on Monday.
Press Conference 4/20: LB Derrick Johnson from The Mothership
Q: How challenging have the last seven months been for you?
JOHNSON: "It's been hard, it's been hard. But I've been through something harder than this and I think through my career, I was equipped for this. When I didn't start that one year, my fifth season, that was harder than this. So it's one of those things where it was really hard to deal with going to the games all the time, looking at the guys having fun. Of course I was in the locker room with them, high-fiving them and stuff. But at the same time I wanted to be out there too. It was very hard, very hard for me. But I knew I had to go through this time, get back to where I need to get to. My career later in my years has been like this. I haven't been on the decline yet, so it's going to be a great opportunity to show everyone I've still got it. So it's a lot to prove this year, so it'll be great."
KCChiefs.com Videos: Press Conference 4/20: Chiefs Players
Chiefs WRs Frankie Hammond Jr., Junior Hemingway sign ERFA tenders from Chiefs Digest
The Chiefs re-signed two exclusive rights free agents on Monday.
Wide receivers Frankie Hammond Jr. and Junior Hemingway signed their respective tenders, according to Monday's NFL Transactions report.
No shock: Chiefs' Houston skips report date for offseason program from The Associated Press via FS Kansas City
The most notable absence was All-Pro linebacker Justin Houston, who was given the franchise tag after a record-setting sack season. Houston still has not signed his tender as the Chiefs and his representatives try to reach an agreement on a long-term deal.
"I'm hopeful they'll get it worked out," Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. "I think both sides want to be here for whatever's sake. I know the jockeying. I've been around long enough to understand how it works out, particularly when you're doing negotiations with good players."
Chiefs begin offseason workout program without LB Justin Houston from Chiefs Digest
Houston, who hasn't signed his tender, missed the voluntary portion of offseason workouts in 2014 and held out of the mandatory minicamp. The absences didn't hurt as he went on to lead the league in sacks with 22.
That production of last season allows Reid to know Houston won't eventually report out of shape.
"I know on the other side that Justin is going to work his tail off because that's the way he's wired," Reid said. "He's going to make sure he's ready to go when the time comes."
Justin Houston's absence not a huge issue at this point from ESPN
Chiefs coach Andy Reid sounded the proper tone in talking about Houston's absence. He didn't express frustration with the process or voice the too-common coaching refrain that he's just going to worry about the players who are in camp.
Houston may be MIA, but the dude just posted a video in which he benches a fifth of a ton from FS Kansas City
We've sung this song before, and every Kansas City Chiefs fan with a voice left to shred joined in on the last verse. Hold me closer, Tiny Sackmaster.
"I would probably say it will probably be similar to last year until things get worked out," coach Andy Reid said in a news conference that kicked off phase one of the Chiefs' spring offseason program. "I think they'll get worked out."
Did somebody say "worked out"? Because while 14 of his teammates met with the media, one after the other, in a quick conga line inside the team's training complex, Houston was tweeting this to the masses:
Andy Reid says Chiefs 'ready' for possible Sean Smith suspension from ESPN
Coach Andy Reid didn't sound concerned about a possible suspension for Smith on Monday when the Chiefs started their organized offseason workout program.
"We have not heard," Reid said. "That's in (the NFL's) hands. We'll be ready either way. If he is suspended, we'll handle it from there. If he's not then he'll be in there playing."
Alex Smith medically cleared for start of offseason practice from ESPN
Smith, who missed the final game of the 2014 season after having lacerated his spleen the previous week, has been cleared to play.
Chiefs can use more players at several positions from ESPN
The Kansas City Chiefs took a roster of 75 players into the offseason workouts that began at their practice facility on Monday. That total includes linebacker Justin Houston, who is the franchise player and has yet to sign.
The Chiefs are allowed 90 players under contract at this time of year, so they have room for their 10 draft picks plus a few more players.
Chiefs respect Royals having each other's backs in beanball wars from FS Kansas City
"When you are the hunted, at times, teams are going to take shots at you," Reid said. "They have to know that you're willing to put your foot down. That looks like what the Royals are doing. From what I understand, if teams throw at you, beware. That looks like what they're doing.
"I had a chance to go out and watch their spring (training), they got a good team. Almost virtually the same team they had before. They have a great manager and a great front office, so good things are going to happen to them. They have a good locker room, too. I was able to walk around and meet some of the guys, and you can tell it's a tight group.
"I could talk about baseball. I'm like you, a fan, but I imagine they're putting their foot down and saying they're not backing down."
Richmond QB Michael Strauss exudes confidence on path to NFL from Chiefs Digest
Richmond's Pro Day on March 17 drew representatives from the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans, San Diego Chargers, New York Giants, Indianapolis Colts, Oakland Raiders and Washington.
And a Chiefs area scout apparently took special interest in Strauss' throws.
"A couple of guys after the Pro Day came up to me and told me he was making marks after every throw I made," Strauss said. "That's when I knew the Chiefs were interested, and that was pretty neat."
Kansas City Chiefs regular season schedule to be released Tuesday from KMBC
The National Football League will be announcing the complete 2015 regular season schedule starting at 7 PM CT on NFL Network.
CHIEFS DRAFT COUNTDOWN #10: PROTECT CHARLES from Warpaint Illustrated
This past week Charles spoke to ESPN and most recently over the weekend to theAssociated Press about preparation for the off-season, which begins today in Kansas City, and his overall thoughts about playing hurt a year ago.
In talking about last season, Charles made it clear that he played virtually every game banged up in 2014.
"I was frustrated because I didn't feel my body was right the whole season. But I battled through that time. That's all I could do. I felt like I was in a fight and I had to respond," Charles stated to ESPN.
For those in Kansas City that watched Charles, you could tell at times he wasn't the same but he's a warrior.
KC's newest venture capital fund makes first investment from Kansas City Business Journal
Flyover Capital invested $1.75 million in a company called Opendorse, which is a technology platform designed to help athletes get connected with marketers seeking endorsements. The company isn't designed to help athletes like Tiger Woods, Tom Brady, LeBron James or Albert Pujols, who are some of the most recognized names in sports. Instead, the service targets the athletes in the next tier, who still carry a lot of brand power on a regional basis. Their clients include athletes like Rob Gronkowski (New England Patriots), Joe Flacco (Baltimore Ravens), Jamal Charles (Kansas City Chiefs) and Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City).
The NFL's Alpha Agent Goes to War from Men's Journal
Tom Condon can tell a true football story. A true football story contains a ration of gore, as it's really a war story without the bullets. It also checks the boxes for valor and grit — that willingness to grind through sizzling pain for the sake of the men wearing the same helmets. But what makes the story true isn't its ode to team-first values. No, what makes the story true is that it's bat-shit crazy — and usually pretty funny in the bargain.
Condon can tell a true football story because he played the game half his life, and because he's spent the other half so outflanking opponents that he's now the king of the sport's third column of power: a caste of superagents who write blockbuster contracts and bend the collective-bargaining pact in balloon-animal shapes.
2-Round Mock Draft: Mariota No. 2, but to which team? from WPTZ
18. Kansas City Chiefs (9-7) Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest: With Sean Smith and Jamell Fleming both entering contract years, the cornerback position is one direction the Chiefs could go with this pick and Johnson fits the mold of what Kansas City looks for in the position.
Source: Purdue running back Akeem Hunt visiting the Giants today from National Football Post
Purdue running back Akeem Hunt is visiting the New York Giants today, according to a league source.
Hunt is a fast and versatile running back who's also drawn interest from the Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons, Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs.
Winnipeg' 'Whiteout' becomes avalanche of playoff excitement from CBC Sports
The record for loudest sporting event was set last September by nearly 80,000 spectators at the Kansas City Chiefs' Arrowhead Stadium. Guinness World Records acknowledged the crowd noise reached 142.2 dbA.
Following Stempniak's tally, the Winnipeg crowd reached 124 dbA. A sizeable gap compared to the record, but impressive having 65,000 fewer fans in attendance.