The Kansas City Chiefs held their first full session of training camp on Sunday morning, as the two-time defending Super Bowl winners continued to prepare for the upcoming season.
“It was good to get the guys back out here and working — the veteran players,” stated Head Coach Andy Reid. “We also included some fresh material for the novices, so they could use what they had studied earlier in the week and today. I’m pleased with that. Both sides of the ball competed well. “The special teams looked good.”
With that in mind, here’s a quick recap of what happened at Sunday’s practice.
1. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes and wide receiver Xavier Worthy connected for the play of the day.
The thousands of fans in attendance on Sunday got what they came for when Mahomes connected with Worthy for a highlight-reel touchdown during an 11-on-11 practice session. Mahomes scrambled to his left before throwing a pass 50 yards downfield into the arms of Worthy, who caught it despite good coverage.
Unquestionably the play of the day, the pass and catch provided an early preview of what Worthy may bring to the Chiefs attack in 2024. It was also a positive sign for Worthy’s health, since the rookie wide receiver missed nearly all of the Chiefs’ offseason sessions due to a hamstring ailment. If Sunday was any indication, Worthy appears to be recuperating well.
“He has been working hard. Coach Reid added, “It appears that his hamstring is feeling better; we’ll just have to keep him going here.” “[He will need to] continue studying. We’re only one install in, and we have 12 of them. He has a lot of information coming to him – formations, shifts, motions, and so on – but he did a good job today.”
2. The offense was humming early in Sunday’s practice.
Several players contributed to the Chiefs offense’s excellent performance during the first 7-on-7 part of Sunday’s practice. The session featured two completions to wide receiver Hollywood Brown along the sideline, a grab by tight end Travis Kelce up the seam, and a spectacular catch by wide receiver Justyn Ross on the boundary.
Kelce later completed the Chiefs’ final 7-on-7 play of the day, a short touchdown grab, by dunking the ball over the goal post. The Chiefs’ offense played with obvious enthusiasm all morning.
3. Cornerback Ekow Boye-Doe made the top defensive play of the practice.
Boye-Doe, who appeared in six games last season, had the day’s best defensive play when he went up and intercepted a pass during 11-on-11 red zone drills. Boye-Doe undercut the route, jumped into the air, and executed the full-extension pick before tapping both feet inbounds to finish the play.
The 24-year-old Boye-Doe, who joined the Chiefs as a tryout player this summer, is off to a strong start as he seeks to make the roster in 2024.
Another notable defensive play came from safety Bryan Cook, who effectively defended a ball during the 11-on-11 red zone time. Cook moved quickly and tipped the lofted pass meant for Xavier Worthy in the back of the end zone. Cook’s performance was amazing, especially considering he missed the conclusion of last season due to an ankle issue.
4. Punter Matt Araiza had a busy practice.
Araiza, who signed with the Chiefs as a free agent in February, kicked exactly 18 punts in fast succession during the final section of Sunday’s practice. The other players on the field changed throughout the practice, such as the return men and the personnel combinations up front, but Araiza was the one constant, and he did not disappoint.
“Araiza looked like he was booming it out there,” Coach Reid stated after practice.
5. Here’s a look at Sunday’s injury report.
The lone new addition to the injury report on Sunday was safety Justin Reid, who was placed on the “Non-Football Injury/Illness” list with a quad ailment.
“We’re just [taking it] day-by-day right now and seeing how he does,” Coach Reid told me. “He’ll make sure he tells you how he’s feeling, so we trust him with that.”
Reid joined BJ Thompson, who had a medical emergency before an offseason session in June, on the NFI list. Furthermore, four players remain on the “Physically Unable to Perform,” or “PUP,” list: cornerback Jaylen Watson, defensive end Charles Omenihu, defensive lineman Derrick Nnadi, and offensive center Joe Thuney.
Apart from those players, everyone else took part in Sunday’s practice.
The Chiefs will return to the field on Monday for their second practice of training camp. Monday’s session, which is sold out, will only be available to Season Ticket Members, while Tuesday’s practice will be open to everyone. Keep in mind that, although most days are free to attend, tickets must be reserved online in advance.
