Their ‘edge’ is the secret to all of the Chiefs’ success

From the surface, the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl LVII rings are eye-catching enough. But engraved on the inside of each ring — in big, bold, all-caps red lettering — lies a single word that is meant to encapsulate everything for which the team stands:

EDGE.

“The edge” is head coach Andy Reid’s slogan. It refers to the competitive fire that motivates NFL players into being the best versions of themselves.

As the team wrapped up another arduous day of fully padded training camp practice on Wednesday morning, players were once again reminded about how important this edge has become in replicating their Super Bowl success.

“You want to maintain your edge as you go through daily — and make it a habit,” Reid explained to reporters at Missouri Western State University. ”That edge helps you drive to be the best you can be that day. You finish that one, you line up the next one and do that.

“It’s a grind going through camp. Like I said, I like the effort being put forth. The mindset is good and they’re challenging each other — which is the most important thing.”

Perhaps no player on the team personifies this edge more than superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Despite a historic 2022 season full of accolades — including league MVP, first-team All-Pro, Super Bowl MVP and many more — Mahomes still wants to improve this season. That starts with the work in training camp.

Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images

“We talked about that at the beginning of the first team meeting,” said Mahomes after Wednesday’s practice. “You talk about the goal of the entire season — and then now, it’s every day just getting better — making sure you’re getting better in the classroom, on the field or watching film — whatever [it] is — and then when you get your opportunity, you go out there [and] make it happen.

“That’s all we think about, day-by-day: right now. Then I’m sure before that first game, we’ll have that same conversation — and then go game-by-game.”

But it’s not enough to have just one player with this edge. Championship teams are full of players with the competitive fire to push each other to greatness on a daily basis. Mahomes believes those players — including tight end Travis Kelce — are all around him.

“I think we all have it,” he declared. “We have a lot of guys out here that are super competitive — but it’s about just doing it the right way. Trav punching the guy [is] not necessarily the way you want to do it — but you love the fire. You love the fire on both sides of the ball: trying to finish to the last second.

“That’s just the type of guys we are. We’re going to compete, we’re going to argue on the football field — and then we’re going to love each other in the locker room.”

Reid broke “the edge” down to its most fundamental — and yet significant — meaning.

“Challenge each other,” he said simply. “If you can do that — ‘Every time I line up, I’m going to do my best against that guy,’ that’s the edge.”