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Chiefs banking on Xavier Worthy, young WR group to improve | ESPN
Last week, O’Shea was pleased when he observed how quickly Worthy was able to find a defender in the open field for a blocking drill on the perimeter. Worthy ran the smoothest routes in the Chiefs’ 7-on-7 reps, too. Mahomes displayed excellent accuracy. And Mahomes, with the offense in the red zone, was able to complete two excellent intermediate passes to Worthy, who caught the ball between two defenders in the back of the end zone.
“He’s really doing a nice job,” Reid said of Worthy. “It’s great for him to be able to detail things and he’s working like crazy at it. I think he feels more comfortable now.”
When Worthy made a mistake in Wednesday’s practice, dropping the ball near the goal line in a 7-on-7 period, he bowed his head and placed his hands on his helmet. O’Shea shouted. A few minutes later, Worthy made a contested catch in the corner of the end zone while being covered by rookie cornerback Mansoor Delane, the Chiefs’ top draft pick. One of the first people to celebrate Worthy’s highlight, featuring a high-five, was O’Shea.
“Well, the thing is, first and foremost, we always want guys to come out and not take anything for granted, just like we discuss all the time,” Bieniemy said. “There’s an imaginary sign outside the door: We’re hiring all applicants. But at the end of the day, we want these guys to make sure that they’re reapplying every single day. We can’t get comfortable and not enjoy the fundamentals that we have to work on every single day. I think, more than anything, that’s what we have to do. And so, we got to get comfortable being uncomfortable, but on top of that, we’ve got to continue to work. We can’t get bored with the little things that’s going to help us to grow.”
Bieniemy harps on fundamentals and the little things, but not just on the football field. How you manage the details off the field and in your preparation makes all the difference in the world.
“When I say the little things, it’s just not necessarily taking place on the football field,” Bieniemy continued. “It’s how we enter the building, it’s what we’re doing in the weight room. What we’re doing in the training room. It’s what we’re doing in our meeting room. So, we got to make sure that we’re not taking anything for granted, because those little things end up adding up for either good reasons or bad reasons. So, we just want to make sure that our perception becomes our reality.”
Alex Smith reveals what makes Chiefs fans different from everyone else | FanSided
Alex Smith credits Chiefs fans showing up early at Arrowhead Stadium
“Coming [to Kansas City] at a point where the Chiefs hadn’t won a playoff game in like 29 years, it’s not like the support ended because of those things. In fact, I feel like it mounted,” Smith said.
Smith highlighted Red Fridays, dyed fountains and seeing every kid at school wearing their Chiefs jersey to school as hallmarks of the fandom in Kansas City. Then there was the stadium experience, which he was immersed in even as an early-arriving quarterback.
“Every stadium you go to, you get there, and they’re empty. Not Arrowhead. You get there at 8 a.m. for a noon game, and it’s packed,” Smith said.
Travis Kelce explains what the Chiefs missed by not having Eric Bieniemy | The Kansas City Star
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce mentioned it on the latest episode of the New Heights podcast. Kelce said no one goofs off around Eric Bieniemy, who is in his second go-round as Chiefs offensive coordinator.
“There’s just times a guy comes around, and you just know you’re done (messing) around,” Kelce said. “I think coach (Andy) Reid is one of those guys, but even to another degree, the accountability that Eric Bieniemy holds is second to none, man. Just his coaching style, how he preaches how to practice for it to translate into the games.
“It’s something I think we’ve missed, and you know, it’s not saying that anybody else was not good. We still went out, we won another Super Bowl, and all that (after Bieniemy left following the 2022 season). We definitely still had the pieces, but at the same time, Bieniemy has this ability to kind of tweak the culture in the right direction. I think this is going to really help us out this year.”
Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s Wedding Venue Revealed | Sports Illustrated
According to Mara Siegler and Larry Celona of Page Six, Kelce and Swift’s wedding venue is now known.
“Multiple sources tell Page Six that Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding will take place at Madison Square Garden, home of the Knicks, Rangers and numerous concerts, including Swift’s,” Siegler and Celona reported.
An anonymous source confirmed to Page Six that guests have been sworn to secrecy regarding any details about the upcoming wedding. The plan is for those guests to arrive at MSG, which was chosen for its high-end security, in blacked-out buses to preserve maximum privacy.
What Details About the Kelce-Swift Wedding Are Currently Known?
Save-the-dates for Kelce and Swift’s wedding reportedly went out back in April, according to Page Six.
Around the NFL
Bears edge closer to move for new stadium in northwest Indiana | ESPN
The Bears took a significant step toward leaving Illinois on Friday.
The Bears’ board of directors voted Thursday to advance their stadium development in Hammond, Indiana, with the exact site still to be determined. This is this first time that the Bears’ board has voted on any stadium site.
The Bears’ plans to leave the state they’ve called home since their inception for Indiana come just days after the end of Illinois’ spring legislative session.
“We believe a world-class stadium project in Hammond will transform the region, connecting Northwest Indiana and the South Side of Chicago through the Loop and across the neighborhoods and suburbs stretching north of the city,” Bears chairman George H. McCaskey and CEO Kevin Warren said in a statement.
The Bears’ announcement Friday does not guarantee the team will leave Illinois. Per a league source, while Indiana is “in the lead” to lure the Bears across state lines to build a domed stadium, “Illinois can still get back in the race.”
Broncos’ Jonathon Cooper arrested in Colorado for domestic violence, criminal mischief | NFL.com
Denver Broncos pass rusher Jonathon Cooper was arrested Thursday night in Colorado on domestic violence and criminal mischief charges, per Douglas County Sheriff’s Office jail records.
Cooper was taken into custody by the Parker Police Department at 11:16 p.m. local time and booked into the Douglas County jail at 2:38 a.m.
Cooper appeared in court Friday morning. His next scheduled court date is Monday at 10 a.m.
It is unclear what led to Cooper’s arrest.
The Broncos told The Associated Press they “are aware of the matter and are gathering more information.”
In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride
The Chiefs defense is adjusting to the times
Getting pressure from the interior isn’t some new or modern idea. It’s a tale as old as time. I’ll never forget those Jacksonville Jaguars teams with Marcus Stroud and John Henderson. What the hell were you supposed to do against that duo clogging the middle of the field?
That was more than 20 years ago!
The league is trending toward getting bigger bodies on the field once again. The running game is making a comeback, which means teams must now be capable of stopping the run in order to have the privilege of rushing the passer. Doing both requires wildly talented players along the interior of the defensive line.
Chris Jones certainly fits that billing, and the Chiefs have been riding that train for years. He’s been a one-man wrecking crew for much of his professional career, but he can no longer do it alone. He now clearly needs a running mate (or two), and the Chiefs are hopeful their offseason additions are exactly what the doctor ordered.
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