Kansas City Chiefs rookies and quarterbacks reported to training camp in St. Joseph, Missouri on Tuesday, giving them a three-day head start to get acclimated before veterans arrive.
Speaking to media members on arrival day, Chiefs HC Andy Reid was asked about the importance of these early days for rookies and quarterbacks.
“I think it’s great for the young guys,” Reid said. “I think it’s good for the older guys just to get tuned up, they know what it takes to get themselves ready for the season. This is a way to knock a little rust off, but for the young guys, I think it’s even more beneficial. And it’s also beneficial for the coaches to see the young guys and see what they can do and the progress they’re making. . . So, we’ll just see how that rolls.”
Training camp is different than what the rookies have encountered during the offseason workout program so far. They begin to get a taste of what life in the NFL is really like and set the foundation that they’ll be building on throughout their entire career in the league. Everything gets a bit more real for players who’ve dreamed their whole lives about an opportunity to play football at the professional level.
“I think they’ll feel that a little bit more now,” Reid explained. “I think you’re a little bit guarded just by the rules for your OTAs, but it’s a good foundation to build. But this here, this tests you both mentally and physically when you have to go through a training camp and then they’ve got to deal with you guys (media) every day.
“You know it’s just different. There are a lot of eyes on them, all the fans out there, a lot of eyes, so it’s different. There’s a different intensity level, plus you are getting ready for the season and you are building that foundation for the season.”
The three-day head start really allows rookies to get their feet under them and get comfortable before things begin to intensify as the team progresses toward the 2023 NFL season.
