Training camp notebook: Andy Reid holds practice outside despite light showers

On their 11th training camp practice day, the Kansas City Chiefs continued to see cooler temperatures mixed with unpredictable rain showers. While it’s obvious that the team will take the climate any day of the week, it may be surprising that it also has use for wet weather.

On Friday — with light rain still coming down around when practice was scheduled to begin at 9:15 a.m. — head coach Andy Reid sent his team outside. Since indoor practices are closed to the public, Reid’s decision pleased several thousand fans who had arrived to watch the workout.

For Reid, adding another simulated experience to the 2023 repertoire made sense.

“As long as there’s not lightning, it’s all good,” said Reid. “We’ll come out and work. Somewhere, that will pay off for you down the road — [in] footing, grasping the football, catching the football, all those things... [on] both sides of the ball and special teams.”

The quarterbacks were challenged to plant their feet in wet grass, and pass-catchers had to find a way to bring in soaked footballs. The elements added to a competitive day between the offense and defense, with the offense finding success early before the defense tightened up in the red zone.

“I thought it was a good challenge all the way around,” said Reid. “I thought the defense did a nice job at protecting the end zone. I just thought it was a good day.”

The team continues to prepare in anticipation of its first preseason game, which will be a week from this Sunday — August 13 — against the Saints in New Orleans. This year, the exhibition game experience will come after 16 full-team training camp practices.

“You want to add that to it,” said Reid of the upcoming game. “The thing you’re looking for [at training camp] is retention of all the plays, an opportunity to catch the ball in tight quarters — contested throws — and you can get that part out of it. But you’ve got to see the game [to] see what happens.”

With how things have gone, there will likely be a few more wet practices between now and then.

“We’ve had a little bit of rain,” grinned Reid. “It’s good for the farmers.”

Observations

You can find my complete observations from Friday’s practice here.

Post-practice chat and press conferences

If you can’t see the above (Apple iTunes) embed, click here. The press conference is also available on Spotify.

Injury report

• Did not practice (due to injury): DE Mike Danna (calf injured on 7/28), TE Jody Fortson (right shoulder injured on 7/28), DL Charles Omenihu (calf injured on 8/2), CB L’Jarius Sneed (knee swelling on 7/31), CB Reese Taylor (hamstring injured on 8/2), WR Kadarius Toney (knee injured on 7/23)
• Limited: RB Isiah Pacheco (hand, labrum)
• Returned to practice: LB Drue Tranquill
• Excused: CB Jaylen Watson

Tweet of the day

Our John Dixon compiled all of Friday’s tweets here. Here is the tweet of the day:

Surely, everybody will stay calm about this.

Quote of the day

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, taking the podium after visiting with Missouri Mayor Quinton Lucas and Missouri Governor Mike Parson: “The politicians are here, and I’m talking. There’s something wrong here.”

What’s next?

The Chiefs return to the field on Saturday morning for their 12th full-team training camp practice. The workout begins at 9:15 a.m. Arrowhead Time — and it leads into a day off on Sunday. It’s “Family Fun Day,” which comes with a $5 charge for admission.

Special teams coordinator Dave Toub will address the media following the practice as the entire team signs autographs. Here’s the complete 2023 training camp schedule.