The Kansas City Chiefs have been asked to play a game on every day of the week except Tuesday in 2024 — including outings on Christmas Day (a Wednesday) and Black Friday, as well as several weeks with shortened rest.
For head coach Andy Reid, however, it’s business as usual in KC.
“You know how we are, we don’t really care,” Reid responded when asked about the demanding schedule that the NFL handed the Chiefs on May 22. “They could give us a Tuesday game if they want, [and] we’ll be okay there too.”
“We’ll just, we work through it, and we’ll play anybody, anywhere,” the long-time head coach went on. “Whatever they want to do, we’re onboard.”
Coach Reid also made it clear that the NFL schedule-makers do not consult him before making these decisions. Noting that it’s the “first time” in his career that he’s played three games in 11 days.
Although Reid didn’t necessarily seem upset, his comments did have a bit of a bite to them. The Chiefs appear to understand very well that they are seen as the top dog around the league after back-to-back Super Bowl runs, and situations like these just seem to motivate Kansas City more.
NFL Schedule-Makers Did Chiefs No Favors in 2024
It’s ironic that some NFL fans suggested that the league based their schedule-making process around Taylor Swift and the Chiefs. In reality, KC was done no favors in 2024.
For starters, Kansas City has an early bye during Week 6 — something most franchises typically don’t prefer.
They also have at least four weeks of shortened rest, including the Saturday to Wednesday stretch from December 21 through December 25.
Factor in the difficulty of the teams they’ll be facing as a division winner, and this is no easy schedule for the “three-peat” attempt. Nor should it be.
Patrick Mahomes & Hollywood Brown Connect on Deep Ball at Chiefs OTAs
The Athletic’s Nate Taylor provided an in-depth breakdown of the first session of Organized Team Activities that was open to the media on May 22. The highlight was a long link up between quarterback Patrick Mahomes II and new wide receiver Hollywood Brown.
“Mahomes unleashed his best pass of the period, an arching deep ball with perfect velocity and touch,” Taylor wrote, noting that the target was Brown.
“Brown sprinted past two defenders, adjusted his route to Mahomes’ pass and made a one-handed touchdown reception, his right hand securing the ball as he fell in the back of the end zone against trailing coverage from safety Deon Bush,” the beat reporter relayed. “Brown celebrated by standing up, lifting his head and screaming loud enough for each of his teammates to hear him.”
It’s a good start for Brown, who could be the unquestioned WR1 in 2024 if Rashee Rice is suspended.
“It looks like [Brown] and Pat are developing a nice little chemistry there,” Coach Reid stated during the same May 22 press conference. “We’ll just take it step by step as we go.”
“With Pat and him, there’s so much talking going on,” the Chiefs HC added later, “which I look at and I think that’s important, as long as the receivers are willing to listen and then share what they saw and it’s accurate. You normally can develop a pretty good relationship relatively quickly.”
Kansas City also brought in first-round wide receiver Xavier Worthy in the draft, another burner for Mahomes to target. Unfortunately for media, Worthy missed Wednesday’s practice with a tweaked hamstring.
