By Matt McMullen – Chiefs.com Reporter
The Kansas City Chiefs took the field for the first full practice of training camp on Sunday morning as the back-to-back defending Super Bowl champions continued their preparation for the upcoming season.
“It was good to get the guys back out here and working – the veteran players,” said Head Coach Andy Reid. “We [also] added some new stuff for the rookies, so they were able to handle what they learned earlier in the week and today. I’m happy [with] that. Both sides of the ball competed well. Special teams looked good.”
With that in mind, here’s a quick rundown of what took place during 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 linked up with Worthy for a highlight-reel touchdown during an 11-on-11 segment of practice. The play featured Mahomes scrambling to his left before firing a pass 50 or so yards downfield into the arms of Worthy, who made the catch despite good coverage.
Undoubtedly the play of the day, the throw and catch provided an early glimpse at what Worthy might bring to the Chiefs’ offense in 2024. It was also an encouraging sign for Worthy’s health after the rookie wide receiver missed nearly all of the Chiefs’ offseason practices with a hamstring injury. If Sunday was any indication, Worthy looks to be recovering quite well.
“He’s been working hard. It looks like his hamstring feels better, we’ll just need to keep him going here,” said Coach Reid. “[He’ll need to] keep learning. We’re just one install into it, and we have 12 of them. He has a lot more information coming at him – formations, shifts, motions and all that stuff – but he did a nice job today.”
2. The offense was humming early in Sunday’s practice.
Several players contributed to an impressive showing by the Chiefs’ offense during the initial 7-on-7 segment of Sunday’s practice. The session included two completions to wide receiver Hollywood Brown near the sideline, a grab by tight end Travis Kelce up the seam and a terrific catch by wide receiver Justyn Ross on the boundary.
Kelce later put an exclamation point on the Chiefs’ final 7-on-7 play of the day – a short touchdown grab – by dunking the ball over the goal post. It was that type of day for the Chiefs’ offense, which played with a palpable energy all morning long.
3. Cornerback Ekow Boye-Doe made the top defensive play of the practice.
Boye-Doe, who appeared in six games last season, was responsible for the defensive play of the day when he went up and snagged an interception during 11-on-11 red zone drills. Boye-Doe undercut the route, leapt in the air and made the full-extension pick before tapping both feet in-bounds to complete the play.
The 24-year-old Boye-Doe, who originally joined the Chiefs as a tryout player last summer, is off to a good start as he aims to make the roster in 2024.
Another noteworthy defensive play took place when safety Bryan Cook successfully defended a pass during the 11-on-11 red zone period. Cook was light on his feet and tipped away the throw, which was a lofted pass intended for Xavier Worthy in the back of the end zone. It was an impressive play by Cook, who appears healthy after missing the end of last season with an ankle injury.
4. Punter Matt Araiza had a busy practice.
Araiza, who joined the Chiefs as a free agent in February, booted exactly 18 punts in fairly quick succession during the final segment of Sunday’s practice. The other players on the field rotated throughout the session, such as the return men or the personnel combinations up front, but the one constant was Araiza, and he didn’t disappoint.
“Araiza looked like he was booming it out there,” said Coach Reid following practice.
5. Here’s a look at Sunday’s injury report.
The only new addition to the injury report on Sunday was safety Justin Reid, who was placed on the “Non-Football Injury/Illness” list due to a quad injury.
“We’re just [taking it] day-by-day right now and seeing how he does,” said Coach Reid. “He’ll make sure he tells you how he’s feeling, so we trust him with that.”
Reid joined BJ Thompson, who suffered a medical emergency prior to an offseason practice in June, on the NFI list. Additionally, four players remain on the “Physically Unable to Perform,” or “PUP,” list: cornerback Jaylen Watson, defensive end Charles Omenihu, defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi and offensive guard Joe Thuney.
Other than those players, everyone else participated in Sunday’s practice.
Next up, the Chiefs will take the field on Monday for the second practice of training camp. Monday’s session, which is sold out, will be limited to Season Ticket Members, but Tuesday’s practice will be open to the general public. Keep in mind, even though most days are free to attend, tickets must be reserved online ahead of time.
For a look at the training camp schedule or for more information on how to reserve tickets, click here.
