With Super Bowl media obligations in the books, it’s all football now for the Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid stood in front of the assembled media Thursday morning for approximately 12 minutes at the JW Marriott Turnberry Resort, site of the team’s news conferences ahead of Sunday’s Super Bowl LIV.
Reid answered questions about the upcoming game against the San Francisco 49ers in the same fashion he’s done over the past week, picking his spots to crack a few jokes.
Then, as Chiefs vice president of communications Ted Crews gave thanks to the crowd, signaling the news conference had come to its conclusion, Reid quickly turned his head to Crews and asked, “We’re done?”
Crews acknowledged in the affirmative, which prompted Reid to joyfully clap his hands before quickly exiting the stage to a chorus of laughter from the audience.
And with that, Reid’s final media availability before Sunday’s game was in the books.
The longtime head coach can now go about making final preparations with his team. The week’s numerous distractions and media obligations that come with Super Bowl week are dwindling away.
Simply put, it’s time to focus on the opponent and prepare to play for a league championship.
“I’m ready for the game,” cornerback Charvarius Ward said. “It feels like it came fast, but it took forever.”
Wide receiver Tyreek Hill agreed.
“You know I’m happy,” Hill said. “That’s why we came here, to play football, but it looks like this thing has turned into something else, man. But I’m very thankful for this portion for the chance to let people know who I am.”
The Chiefs players survived Monday’s Opening Night, an annual spectacle that often provides bizarre scenes of some reporters dressed in costumes, followed by three straight days of hour-long morning media sessions.
The Chiefs will put in two more practices, on Thursday and Friday, which Reid said would be used to clean up work in the red zone ahead of Sunday’s game.
The Chiefs were fortunate to get assigned the early-morning slot for daily media availability as opposed to the late-afternoon session the 49ers endured. With an earlier period, the Chiefs were able to mirror the rigid structure they have in Kansas City: morning meetings, followed by an open locker-room session before an early afternoon practice.
“I like that it was in the morning because once it’s done from here, now we get into our routine. From now on for the rest of the day, it’s football,” tight ends coach Tom Melvin said. “Just deal with that, distractions aside, and just remember why we’re here. Focus on, ‘Hey, we’ve got to win a game,’ and it’s not just ‘happy to be here.’”
Melvin’s point resonated with a lot of the Chiefs players Thursday.
While most seemed to enjoy the experience of the past four days, each is aware that this trip to Miami ultimately was for business, not pleasure.
“Obviously, we’re all football players,” long-snapper James Winchester said. “We play football and that’s the game we love, and that’s the game our guys coach.
“The closer you get to the game, you want to focus on football. That’s where everyone’s mind is. To take a second and talk to media, there’s nothing wrong with it, but we’ve all got a game to play and that’s always kind of in the back of your head.”
The Chiefs also continue to appear in good shape for Sunday’s big game with no changes to Wednesday’s injury report, according to the pool report.
Defensive tackle Chris Jones (calf), tight end Travis Kelce (knee), center Austin Reiter (wrist) and tight end Deon Yelder (Achilles) practiced fully Thursday for a second straight day.
This story was originally published January 30, 2020 at 12:30 PM.
