The first phase of the offseason workout program is underway for the Kansas City Chiefs.
As the first phase will take place virtually again, QB Patrick Mahomes and his offensive teammates have gathered in Texas for an offseason “throwing camp” of sorts. This is the second consecutive year that Mahomes has hosted this type of training session for his teammates. This time around things are different as the two-time league MVP says he feels like he’s better prepared to play host and meet the needs of his teammates.
“I think I had a better game plan for it just in general,” Mahomes explained. “Just having a place for those guys to stay. Getting the guys down here with several weeks but several different days that they can make it so they don’t have anything, they can be here for at least two to three weeks at a time and they don’t have to worry about having to fit it into their schedule. They have several opportunities.
“And I think that the biggest thing was I just had a better plan for what fields we can use – grass field options, turf field, indoor – and the timing so that we can get the guys in and out and they can still live their lives and be in virtual meetings and stuff like that. So I just had a better plan for myself of getting those guys down here and we’ve had a great turnout. And I’m excited for these guys, everybody looks hungry and ready to go.”
At work at this point in the offseason is entirely voluntary, so having multiple times when guys can come in and fit things into their own schedule is a very important piece of the puzzle. Players such as Travis Kelce, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Kadarius Toney, Skyy Moore, Justyn Ross, Richie James, Jerrion Ealy, Ihmir Smith-Marsette, Jody Fortson, Blake Bell, Noah Gray and Matt Bushman have already been spotted at TCU’s facilities working with Mahomes in Fort Worth. Quarterbacks Shane Buechele and Chris Oladokun have also been there working.
They were even joined by a pair of 2023 NFL draft prospects in projected first-round pick TCU WR Quentin Johnston and Utah State QB Logan Bonner. This is not an event organized by the team, so this is entirely sanctioned by the NFL. Any prospects can pop in to train and work with these players.
The team-building aspect of these sessions is one that the team and Mahomes see great value in. Mahomes gets an opportunity to lead and lay the foundation for the upcoming season, but it’s also impactful for some of the players who will take up leadership roles on offense. Mahomes specifically mentioned guys like Moore and Valdes-Scantling stepping up to the plate in that regard.
“I think there’s a value to me talking to the guys like that, especially when you get new guys in,” Mahomes explained. “I’m working with everybody that is kind of on the roster. So for me to explain how I think of the route and how I teach it and then them being able to go to virtual meetings now and hear how the coaches teach it, I think it gives them a better understanding coming from different perspectives. And I’m actually proud of guys like Skyy and Marquez (Valdes-Scantling) especially, I mean just how they’ve been able to teach these guys that are new to the team how we run routes and everything like that. And I think that helps them as well. And so, it just builds those relationships at the same time as those guys learning the offense as quickly as they can.”
This type of head-start to the work they’ll put in later this summer proved to be invaluable a season ago. The hope seems to be that it’ll have an even greater impact in 2023.
