The Kansas City Chiefs took the field for the fifth practice of training camp on Friday morning as the back-to-back defending Super Bowl champions continued their preparation for the upcoming season.
Here's a quick rundown of what took place during Friday's practice, and for reference, all previous practice reports are available below:
1. The Chiefs held their first padded practice of training camp on Friday.
The players took the field in pads for the first time since Super Bowl LVIII on Friday. Up until this point, the Chiefs were only permitted to practice in shorts and "shells," which are essentially padded shirts. Friday's practice was different, however, as the players donned the pads and took their preparation to another level.
"It was a good day. Back in pads, which is a positive. The guys moved around great," said Head Coach Andy Reid. "I thought the guys worked hard. They challenged each other – back and forth, offense vs. defense. [It was] positive."
Reid went on to explain that the Chiefs are still in a "ramp up" period of camp that's intended to ease the players into the standard workflow. Friday's practice was just under two hours, and Saturday's session will be a little longer.
2. Cornerback Joshua Williams made a great play on a deep pass during 11-on-11.
Williams made one of the plays of the day during an 11-on-11 session early in Friday's practice. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes fired a pass deep down the field for wide receiver Xavier Worthy, who looked like he might come down with another highlight-reel reception until Williams jumped up and deflected the pass.
It was a great play by Williams, who timed his jump perfectly to break up the play and avoid early contact with Worthy. In fact, the Chiefs hosted a league referee crew during Friday's practice, which is a common occurrence at training camps across the NFL. The official didn't throw a flag on the play, confirming that Williams' technique was about as textbook as it gets.
Another noteworthy defensive play on Friday was courtesy of safety Tyree Gillespie, a Mizzou alum who signed with Kansas City earlier in camp. Gillespie tallied a pass-breakup deep down the field on a jump ball during a 7-on-7 period.
Rookie cornerback Kamal Hadden also recorded a memorable defensive play when he punched the ball free from the ball-carrier during an 11-on-11 segment of practice.
3. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes zipped a throw across his body to tight end Travis Kelce.
Mahomes and Kelce (unsurprisingly) combined for a standout moment on Friday when Mahomes scrambled to his left before firing a throw across his body into the arms of Kelce, who caught the pass over the middle of the field. Kelce, who was quickly met by a defender after getting upfield, then kept the play alive by flipping the ball to tailback Isiah Pacheco.
It was a classic play in so many ways that showed off the trademark creativity of both Mahomes and Kelce.
Mahomes later made another noteworthy throw when he started to scramble but then quickly stopped and fired a "jump pass" to Xavier Worthy near the sideline. It was a good exercise for Worthy, who was ready for the throw despite the fact that the original play appeared to have broken down.
Another offensive player who impressed on Friday was wide receiver Justyn Ross, who made a strong, over-the-shoulder touchdown grab in the corner of the end zone during 11-on-11 drills. The referee watching the play then confirmed that Ross caught the pass in-bounds.
4. The Chiefs worked through some specific situations during the 11-on-11 periods.
If you watch closely, fans attending training camp can often decipher the specific situations the Chiefs are working on during any given practice. On Friday, one of those areas was a "tempo" scenario in which the on-field clock began ticking with seven minutes on the screen. It's unclear what the exact circumstances surrounding the drill were, but generally speaking, it was obvious that the offense needed to score a touchdown with limited time remaining.
Another area the Chiefs appeared to work on during Friday's practice was the vaulted "long drive drill" which, as its name suggests, tasks both sides of the ball with a long, extended series of plays without any sort of break.
These were just two of several scenarios the Chiefs will practice throughout training camp as the team attempts to prepare for any and all situations they may encounter during the year.
5. Here's a look at Friday's injury report.
There was some good news at camp on Friday morning as rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy, who missed three-straight practices earlier this week due to an illness, returned to practice. Cornerback Nazeeh Johnson, who left Wednesday's practice early due to a knee injury, was also back out there for Friday's practice.
Absent from Friday's session was wide receiver Justin Watson, who suffered a foot injury on Wednesday. Coach Reid provided a quick update on Watson following practice:
"We don't really have a timeline on him yet, we're just playing it by ear," Reid said. "We'll see where that goes. It's day-to-day."
As for the players who have yet to practice in St. Joseph, safety Justin Reid (quad) and defensive end BJ Thompson (who suffered a medical emergency last month) remain on the "Non-Football Injury/Illness" list.
Cornerback Jaylen Watson, defensive end Charles Omenihu, defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi and offensive guard Joe Thuney are still on the "Physically Unable to Perform," or "PUP," list and also didn't take the field on Friday.
Additionally, in some roster news, the Chiefs signed edge rusher Owen Carney ahead of Friday's practice. Carney, a former standout at the University of Illinois, has spent parts of the last two seasons with Miami and Cincinnati. The 25-year-old Carney is still seeking his first regular-season action as a professional after initially signing with the Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2022. In a corresponding move, the Chiefs released rookie linebacker Luquay Washington.
Next up, the Chiefs will take the field on Saturday for the sixth practice of training camp. The practice will be open to the general public, but even though most days are free to attend, tickets must be reserved online ahead of time. Tickets for Saturday's practice, in particular, are $5.
For a look at the training camp schedule or for more information on how to reserve tickets, click here.
