The Kansas City Chiefs took one step closer to football season on Monday as "Phase One" of the offseason training program officially got underway.

"Phase One" allows for voluntary team meetings in addition to organized strength and conditioning workouts. The Chiefs will once again conduct this portion of the program – which spans two weeks – virtually, continuing the setup that Kansas City has utilized in recent years.

"It's a short offseason, so it gives the guys an opportunity to stay away from here, but, at the same time, get a ton of work done," said Head Coach Andy Reid. "It's been effective for us. The guys have come back in great shape and knowing what their responsibilities are."

Additionally, quarterback Patrick Mahomes – as he has done in recent offseasons – is already off to a head start working with a number of the Chiefs' pass-catchers in Mahomes' home state of Texas.

"The guys can hear [the plays] from me, because we get our workouts in before the meetings. They can hear how I explain things and what I'm thinking, then they go into the meeting room, and they can hear how the coaches explain it," Mahomes said. "We kind of blend that together."

As for next steps, "Phase Two" – which permits for limited on-field work – will begin later this month. "Phase Three," which includes "Organized Team Activities" (OTAs), then begins on May 20 and allows for non-padded 11-on-11 drills. The offseason training program concludes with Mandatory Minicamp on June 11.

It's all to say that while the regular season may be five months away, the preparation for the upcoming campaign has officially started.