Camp quote sheet: What Chiefs’ Steve Spagnuolo, Chad Henne said on Monday
Members of the Chiefs defense — young and old — were in the spotlight during media interviews Monday at training camp.
Here is what was said, per a release from the team. The questions and answers have been lightly edited for clarity.
Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo
Question: What have you seen from Breeland Speaks and Tedric Thompson so far?
SPAGNUOLO: “It’s a little bit early. I’m big on making the assessments in full pads. So, we’ve had three of them and for those guys there hasn’t been a lot of reps. It took Tedric a little bit to get going, so he’s been in and out. The one thing we have to do is get Tedric with the first group, so we can see how he functions with those guys. It’s unfair sometimes when you’re in there with guys that don’t know the system just like you don’t, but he’s working hard. So is Breeland — it’s good to have Breeland back. It gives us another body, another option out there, and he’s working hard, he really is.”
Q: What have you seen from rookies Willie Gay Jr. and L’Jarius Sneed so far, and when Patrick Mahomes makes one of his off-schedule plays like we’ve seen in practice, what does that do to a defense?
SPAGNUOLO: “I always just blame it on the fact that he’s got a yellow jersey on and we can’t hit him — that’s what I tell the guys. Look, if he’s going to make those plays, I think our guys understand that. But it does challenge us to make sure — when he’s scrambling around, our thing is you have to plaster the receivers so that everybody finds someone, and you try to keep the quarterback contained. It’s a great challenge for us because we’re going to face, certainly in the first three games, quarterbacks similar with athletic ability and able to make those kinds of plays. So, it’s good for us. Going back to the rookies, both guys are working hard. I’m hopeful for both of them. Both of those guys, Willie especially, loves football. That was one of the things that Matt House had identified with coaches and people that had worked with Willie. I think the more guys you can get like that, the better — certainly on defense, or anywhere on your football team. LJ plays a position that takes a lot of challenge, so he’s out there battling, it doesn’t always go great. I think mentally both of those guys are doing a really good job of keeping their heads in the playbook and I think they pick things up and have some what I call ‘football get-it,’ so I think that helps us going forward.”
Q: What’s the competition like at the defensive end position, and how do you think that’s going to shake out?
SPAGNUOLO: “We have a ways to go to figure that out, but it’s nice to have that many options. Andy (Reid) says it all the time and I just repeat it — anytime you can get a lot of competition at one spot, that’s good for us. You get to pick the best players. We’ll see how it all shakes out. T.K. (Tanoh Kpassagnon) was key for us last year. We didn’t have Breeland (Speaks), but he’s back. Taco (Charlton) is new. A couple of those other guys — we’ve had Alex (Okafor), we’ve had Frank (Clark) — so we just keep them all in the mix. It’s nice to have those numbers and Brendan (Daly) does a lot of good work with them. So, hopefully we can surface and find out how many, whatever that’s going to be, that we’re going to keep, and keep healthy.”
Quarterback Chad Henne
Question: Do you see any parallels between this year and 2011, the year of the lockout? You’re not going to have any preseason games to prepare for this season. What is it going to be like getting ready for a season without having that to help you prepare?
HENNE: “With the parallels to 2011, definitely similar but different in the instance of not being able to go to the gym and just kind of being on your own at home, with everything being closed. With guys getting together outside, it was beneficial. This year, it was just shutdown. We really had to jump on our feet this year and get after the guys once they got here. We had that acclimation period the two weeks that we got out there. We went to a couple of high schools and got some work in there. Other than that, it’s been difficult, but we’ve made the best of it and done well. With preseason games, it’s definitely going to be difficult but at the same time, coach Reid puts a great schedule for us together and puts in all the reps that he can. He really gets us ready to get going for the season.”
Q: Are there things that you’ve identified that you want to work on or improve for when the season does start? Having a young guy like Jordan Ta’amu enter the quarterback room, what have you noticed from him both in the classroom and on the practice field?
HENNE: “Obviously year three, it’s definitely beneficial for me to be in the same system for three years in a row. I feel confident in myself and confident that I can go out there and perform. At the same time, it’s just getting to know these guys again. Getting the timing down, the spatial awareness, understanding the route concepts, and really digging deep on what routes we’re trying to accomplish against a defense. I feed off of Patrick as well. He’s obviously been in it and played a lot of games in it. I kind of get his nuances and see where he puts his eyes and his placements to get certain routes open. With Jordan, he’s been phenomenal. He’s a young, talented guy. He was in the XFL and had some experience there. He came in and he’s willing to learn. He’s done some really great things. Today was a good opportunity for him to go out there doing the scout team for the defense. He did a really nice job. He’s just going to keep learning, picking our brains each and every day, but he has a great upside.”
Q: Is there anything different that you notice with Patrick Mahomes this year versus last year? As a quarterback, do you feel like you’re taking more responsibility or more extremes in the way you’re trying to stay safe right now?
HENNE: “For Patrick, he’s going out there and being the best leader that he can be. I think he’s improved on that tremendously. Even just from day one since I’ve been here. He’s really getting a hold of the guys and preaching to them what this offense is all about, what he wants from them, what they need from him. He’s the ultimate teammate. We heard it previously that he’s a competitor each and every day. He’s trying to beat our defense left and right. It’s just his mind-set. Each and every day he’s out there to win and be the best leader for this team and win for this organization. He’s definitely improved on that year in and year out and has done a phenomenal job there. For the second question, I’m aware of what my family is doing every day. They’re actually coming out today. I’m making sure that I know where they’re at each and every day. They’re taking care of themselves, wearing a mask outside, and being careful who they’re around. For myself, I’m just going to be a homer. This is my job and I don’t want to lose my job in a couple of weeks just from getting coronavirus.”
Q: What went into your decision about wanting to play this season and what was your thought process?
HENNE: “It didn’t take long. I made a commitment back in March when I signed here. Even though this pandemic has hit us hard, I just felt that I made a decision and I’m here for my teammates. I’m here to do it to the best ability that I can and for this team. I’m here and there’s no doubt about it. There’s no looking back. My family was fine with it, and we’re young and healthy so we’re just going to go forward from here.”
Q: You, along with some other guys, signed contracts with the Chiefs in the offseason. Is there something that you can put your finger on as to what is it about this place that guys like to play?
HENNE: “Number one is coach Reid. He’s definitely one of the best coaches that I’ve been around. He knows the ins and outs of the offense and the defense. He’s been around for a while and he’s a winning coach. Guys want to be around a winning atmosphere. Obviously, a Super Bowl helps, but when you’re around guys who want to compete each and every day and fight for one another. I think it’s definitely just something that you want to be a part of. Throughout my career, ups and downs, winning, losing, the winning is the way to go. We have great tradition here and a lot of great people around us.”
Linebacker Willie Gay
Question: What are some things you’re getting better at in training camp?
GAY: “Well, I’m getting better at a lot, honestly. I have a great coach in coach Matt House. He’s teaching me a lot about the small details of playing linebacker and watching the older guys like Anthony Hitchens and Damien Wilson play the position that I’m trying to play. Just really the details of the small things, I’m getting better at it and it’s paying off for me.”
Q: Can you be specific with some of the things coach Matt House is helping you with to get prepared for the season?
GAY: “Coach House is just one of the coaches, it’s just a lot of tough love. He’s going to tell you when you’re wrong and he’s going to pat you on your back when you’re right, but a lot of the times its just — he pin points everything from small details to big things and just each and every day — it’s never a perfect day for me. I’m always getting better at something when it comes to coach House coaching me, so it’s great.”
Q: Because there are no preseason games and you’re going up against one of the fastest offenses in the NFL, how much do you think they’re helping you with the speed of the game?
GAY: “Well, you know, we don’t have a lot of time right now until the first game, everybody knows that. We just got to take everyday and as rookies, we’re picking up on it fast, I mean sometimes its rough, you know, we’re like we’re pros now, it won’t be as long now until the game comes and its not as easy anymore, but we got an advantage over here in Kansas City when you play against an offense like ours. In practice you see some crazy stuff, so when you see that, it’s like ‘OK, I know everybody in the league can’t do what this guy is doing at quarterback or running back or receiver,’ you know so it’s definitely making us a lot better.”
Q: What is your favorite part of being a pro so far now that you’ve completed a few padded practices in Training Camp?
GAY: “Well, it’s just football, you know, I don’t have to go to study hall after, I don’t have to study for a test. When I go home after practice, I watch TV and I study football or I watch football or watch practice or I look over plays, you know it’s just football and my regular life so I can do that for next 10, 10-12 years man so it’s great.”
Q: How are the battles going in camp and are you having a good time going up against running backs like Clyde Edwards-Helaire?
GAY: “Oh yeah man, everyday well, when we were doing the one-on-ones, you know it was like a battle every day. I wasn’t always winning, so they got me on a good day. But it’s definitely days when we’re both are getting better and we’re making each other better and you go up against guys like (Nick) Keizer at the tight end position and you know he’s making me better each and every day and running backs, all three running backs, four running backs and it’s just great competition out there.”
Defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon
Question: How important was last year for you with getting some sacks, starting those games and getting into the playoffs? What are you looking to do here in 2020?
KPASSAGNON: “I’m always looking to grow. Especially by making those key sacks and key plays. Being able to play in the Super Bowl and win the Super Bowl just boosted my confidence, it boosted the whole team’s confidence. We know what we are, and we know exactly what we need to do, to do it again.”
Q: Going into year two, what does it do to your confidence to know you’re more solidified in your position and around the same guys? What has it been like to see Breeland Speaks’ progress these last few weeks?
KPASSAGNON: “Year two in this defense, you get a lot more comfortable. You get a lot more comfortable with what the guys around you are doing. You get the whole scheme. You know why coach Spags (Spagnuolo) is calling something in a certain situation. I think that continuity is there. That energy where we all come together as one, is there. Breeland is coming along for sure. He’s been in his playbook, he’s been studying, and he knows our defense pretty well. He hopped right in like it was nothing.”
Q: Where do you gauge yourself when it comes to rushing the passer and what do you look forward to in this year?
KPASSAGNON: “I’ve had a whole other offseason to work on that, to really just perfect my craft. It was a weird offseason, but I made it work. I had a lot of time to myself just to do what you said and self-scout and tweak some things. I’m excited to see what happens.”
Q: Spagnuolo mentioned something today about Patrick Mahomes’ scrambling helps you guys prepare for guys like Deshaun Watson and Lamar Jackson. What is your perspective on that?
KPASSAGNON: “Oh yeah. It’s a lot of help. That guy can run, he will bounce out of the pocket, he’ll go ten yards back down the field, and he’ll throw some crazy sidearm ball. Those are plays that you expect from those top tier quarterbacks. I really feel like that helps us as a defense, as a whole, to prepare. Our backfield sticking on guys longer, us continuing to rush relentlessly, and just track him down.”
Q: This is the first time in your career not having a contract for next year. Is there a sense of urgency this year to play to impress the Chiefs or maybe playing to impress other teams?
KPASSAGNON: “I’ve always been playing to impress everybody. I play for myself; I play for my mom; I play for everybody back home. I work hard every day and I let the other stuff work itself out.”
