Joint practices are all the rage, and the New Orleans Saints will share the practice field with two of their three preseason opponents — next week with the Los Angeles Chargers and the following week at home with the Houston Texans. So it might feel like a missed opportunity to not get a few days of work in with the Kansas City Chiefs ahead of Sunday’s first preseason game.
But that isn’t going to happen with Andy Reid in charge of Kansas City. His stance against joint practices is well-established, with the three-time Super Bowl-winning coach seeing them as a competitive disadvantage.
Reid explained himself to FOX Sports back in 2015, saying, “Had a lot of opportunities to do it. But probably from a selfish standpoint, in today’s world, with technology, there’s not a lot of secrets. You have your coaching points, teaching points — you try to teach on the field — and I really don’t want anyone hearing that. That’s my own personal feeling. As much as I can keep in-house in today’s world, I want to do.”
He’s certainly earned the right to feel that way. Reid’s 247 career wins trail only Bill Belichick (298) among active head coaches, ranking fifth-most in pro football history. Joint practices are often seen as an opportunity to practice against unfamiliar opponents, giving coaches and scouts the chance to evaluate their players in new situations — and in a more-controlled environment than an exhibition game — but obviously not everyone sees them the same way.
So the Saints will have to wait and see what they can glean from their matchup with the Chiefs at the Caesars Superdome on Sunday. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 p.m. CT/1 p.m. ET.
