KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said he’s working to get his team ready for next week’s season opener, with or without defensive star Chris Jones.
The Chiefs are set to take on the Detroit Lions in the NFL Kickoff game at 7:15 p.m. next Thursday at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, a game you can watch on KSHB 41.
Reid spoke to reporters Friday, as the timing of next week’s game has forced the team to shift its football schedule around.
RELATED | More Chiefs coverage from KSHB 41
But for Reid, it’s all about getting his players ready for the Lions.
“My standpoint is, we’ve got a heck of a Lions team coming in here and with the guys we’ve got, we’re going to get those guys ready to play against the Lions and I know they’ll be fired up to play,” Reid said Friday. “I take the distractions and throw them out the door and let’s get on with what’s real and that means the guys that are here.”
Earlier this week, Chiefs GM Brett Veach told reporters that communication between the team an Jones’ team had “picked up” in recent days.
“Actually, just the last two days, we’ve been in more communication,” Veach said. “We’re going to continue to press on and work hard.”
Part of the press could come from inside the locker room.
“I really want to get another Super Bowl ring with you, brother,” Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce said on he and his brother Jason Kecle’s podcast, New Heights. “This is me bargaining you to just come back and play football for the Chiefs.
“Please, we need you. We need you bad. And I don’t know what the situation is,” Kelce added.
Reid was asked what the sense was among the players as Jones continued to hold out.
“Everybody makes their own decisions — that’s the way it is in life and that’s the way it is in football,” Reid said. “Certain guys do it one way, certain guys do it another way. Chris has chosen to go this route, some other guys have chosen to get their deals done and come in and play."
“I am not here to criticize one way or the other,” Reid continued. “We’ve had a lot of success with the guys that we have and we go with it.”
Reid praised the Lions for their finish to the 2022 regular season, which included knocking the Green Bay Packers out of the playoffs on the final game of the regular season on Sunday Night Football in Green Bay.
“We look forward to this challenge - this is a big, big challenge for us,” Reid said. “They finished absolutely on fire; They play aggressive football.”
KSHB 41’s coverage of the Chiefs’ home opener starts with a two-hour pregame show at 4 p.m. NBC Sports takes over with a special edition of Football Night in America at 6 p.m. leading up to kickoff at 7:15 p.m. on KSHB 41.
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