Fantasy football continues to be a massive popularity draw for the NFL, with fans paying close attention to games and individual players’ stats on a weekly basis.
The current generation of NFL players acknowledged the increased interest from casual observers because of fantasy football. They don’t particularly feel pressure to perform or appease those who participate in fantasy football, though. Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, for instance, was quoted in a press conference two weeks ago apologizing to fantasy owners because of the team’s plan to spread the ball around to various receivers each week.
But what about the head coach in Kansas City? Does Andy Reid pay much mind to fantasy football? Reid admittedly hasn’t spoken much about fantasy football, nor has he played it because he’s out there living the real thing. He did take some time to address fantasy football’s impact on the league during Monday’s press conference.
“That’s a good question; I haven’t talked much about that,” Reid said about fantasy football. “I love the attention that it brings to football in general. I think it’s probably helped women become part of the game and understand it more and want to be involved with it more which I think is a positive. I think it’s probably good for the young people. That along with the Madden game, I think has really helped the interest in the sport. Other than that, you’ve got to tell me because I’ve never played any fantasy football.”
Reid feels that fantasy football has opened up a new avenue for fans to consume and enjoy the NFL game. It has helped many people learn about the sport, including those who maybe wouldn’t have been interested in learning about it otherwise. After all, there are millions playing fantasy football annually.
Those players are likely quite accustomed to Reid’s Chiefs teams, which continue to produce high-scoring offensive players. Heading into Week 3’s matchup with the Indianapolis Colts, Mahomes ranks third in the USA Today weekly fantasy football charts for quarterbacks, while teammate Travis Kelce is first among tight ends.
You probably won’t find Reid checking his phone to find out fantasy football scores anytime soon. The veteran coach does have a clear appreciation and respect for the audience that its brought to the game.
