From tickets to hotels, how Chiefs are dealing with distractions ahead of Super Bowl
Patrick Mahomes has already completed an important step ahead of Feb. 2’s Super Bowl: ensuring his family and friends will be there with him.
The Chiefs quarterback spoke Wednesday about some of his initial preparations he made this week — and ones that have nothing to do with the actual game. That has included the organization of tickets and Miami-area hotel rooms for those closest to him.
“Now, going into the week, I can really focus in on the gameplan and doing everything,” Mahomes said. “And obviously I’ve already watched film Monday, Tuesday and stuff like that, but getting my family squared away first, and then now, I can really just focus in on doing what it takes in order to win it.”
Other Chiefs admitted to having gone through similar experiences in recent days.
Linebacker Anthony Hitchens said he was shocked by how many people reached out to him in the hours after KC’s 35-24 victory over Tennessee in the AFC Championship.
“It was almost as crazy as when I got drafted,” Hitchens said with a smile. “Phone’s blowing up everywhere like that.”
Hitchens has been able to manage with some help from his wife, Ashley. She has organized travel arrangements in the past, which has allowed Hitchens to pass along any people making requests for tickets or hotel rooms to her.
“I can just focus on ball,” Hitchens said.
The Chiefs organization has helped players with this as well. Right tackle Mitchell Schwartz said many of the players’ preparation plans were due to the team by noon Wednesday.
“I don’t know if that works for every team, but Coach is big on limiting distractions,” Schwartz said. “The way they set it up is for us to do all that and get it out of the way. Then from here, it’s just football.”
Chiefs coach Andy Reid, meanwhile, should have the most experience dealing with this upcoming two-week stretch. He was on staff with the Green Bay Packers for Super Bowls 31 and 32 and also was Philadelphia’s head coach for Super Bowl 39.
Reid admitted that the Chiefs had committed to a “tight itinerary” before next week’s game.
“We’re there to play, but also ... it’s the Super Bowl,” Reid said. “We understand that everybody’s got their jobs to do, and people are interested. So we understand.”
Reid said one positive was that extra media obligations did not conflict with coaches much this week. That means the preparation for the San Francisco 49ers will be similar to what the team has with a typical in-season bye.
“Next week, there’s a few more distractions, but this week, you get yourself right and get the gameplan ready, and get ready to go,” Reid said. “And then when you get down there, you’re able to kind of go back there and review and finalize things and make sure everything’s the way you want it.”
As far as having Super Bowl week experience ... Reid hoped that would potentially play in his favor.
“I don’t know if that’s calming, but I know what to expect,” Reid said. “Normally that’s a good thing.”
Mahomes, meanwhile, said one of his next steps would be to examine the team’s rigid schedule. The goal would be to find some free time, both so he could do some individual studying and also so he could bring teammates together for additional work.
“The good thing about this is we know who we’re playing,” Mahomes said, “so you can kind of use this extra week and really focus in on one team so that you can prepare yourself in the best way possible.”
