The unofficial start to the new league year took place on Monday as all Kansas City Chiefs players reported for Phase 1 of the offseason program.
This part of the offseason is strictly for weightlifting and conditioning—there's no work taking place on the field between coaches and players, although players and can (and do) get together and work out on their own.
"They were all in and ready to go," Chiefs coach Andy Reid explained during his media availability of the team's attitude coming back and getting together. "We've got a lot of work ahead of us, and we look forward to that. It seems like there's great energy in the room.
"I was able to address the guys and talk to them a little bit about expectations of going forward, and what we're going to try to get accomplished for this offseason."
Back to work ✅#ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/xn7Kdd24LL — Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) April 16, 2018
Reid, who has led the Chiefs to four playoff appearances and five-straight winning seasons, added that it was nice to have everyone back and to get things moving towards the 2018 season—a season of big changes, but not one void of high expectations.
"It's good to have our leaders here," Reid added. "The Eric Berry's, Trav [Travis Kelce] was here, and Justin Houston, and the rest of these veteran guys—I mean we bank on these veteran guys so much and again, and they'll do a great job of leading this football team."
A lot of the questions during Reid's media availability surrounded second-year quarterback Patrick Mahomes , who has spent much of his offseason working with the other skill position players.
Mahomes said he has set up group texts with the running backs, tight ends, and receivers to let them know when he was going to be throwing and working out, adding he's thrown at least once to every skill position player on the Chiefs' roster already.
"He's got some natural leadership ability, which we appreciated and we got to see a little bit last year," Reid added of his young quarterback. "I thought he handled himself the right way, which was important. There wasn't a whole lot of nonsense, he just came out and worked, he handled himself just the way you're supposed to—tried to get better every day.
"Listen, he's very, very competitive, which we know, but he's not afraid to put a little pressure on you to make sure you do your job. He's doing the same thing to himself every day and so if you're playing with him, you better be ready to go."
So, for those who can't wait for football season to be here—like Mahomes and all of the other guys that seemed genuinely excited to be back, Monday marked us one step closer.
