Chiefs Chatter, News, Moves, & Stuff That Matters, XII

The Chiefs wrapped up their final week of OTAs last week, and aside from the troubling news of the Kyle Long injury, everything went swimmingly. Everyone Chiefs head coach Andy Reid wanted there, was there, and those who weren’t, will be at the Chiefs mandatory minicamp starting tomorrow. Chiefs players, coaches, and fans alike are nothing short of euphoric looking ahead to the 2021 season. I dare say their hasn’t been this much positivity in a city since the Summer of Love in 1967, San Francisco!

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Meanwhile, 625 miles away in Green Bay, WI, the drama persists and tensions continue to escalate in the soap opera formerly known as the Green Bay Packers. The NFL released the official 2021 preseason schedule. Former Chief Alex Smith garnered yet another award to add to his trophy shelf, as well as set the stage to follow the path of many ex-Chiefs quarterbacks before him. Between the Chiefs and the rest of the NFL, there was a whole lotta going-ons going on.

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Let’s get at it, shall we?

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This Week in Chiefs News

Ex-Chiefs Assistant Coach Pleads Not Guilty

Former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid, son of Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, pleaded not guilty Monday to driving will intoxicated during a crash in February of this year. The judge allowed Reid to resume driving provided he have a special interlock device installed that requires him to pass a Breathalyzer-type test before his vehicle will start.

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Police say Reid was driving about 84 mph before the collision and had a blood alcohol level of 0.113 (two hours after the crash). The legal limit is 0.08. Reid caused a critical injury, brain trauma, to a five-year-old victim because of the crash.

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After the crash, the Chiefs placed the former assistant coach on administrative leave. They have since allowed his contract to expire, and he’s no longer employed by the Chiefs. Brett Reid’s next hearing is a pretrial conference on July 22. A trial date has yet to be set.

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I hate covering things like this, but, at the time of the incident, the younger Reid was a Chiefs assistant coach, and it’s only fair and just we do. I’ll hold off any judgement or comment until they render a verdict or final disposition. In the interim (and after), I’ll continue to pray for young victim, Ariel Young.

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Got Any More Room In the Trophy Case, Alex?

The Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA) recognized recently retired Washington Football Team and ex-Chief Alex Smith as the George Halas Award Winner for the 2021 PFWA Off-Field Awards. The PFWA presents the Halas Award to “the player who overcomes the most adversity to succeed in a season.”

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Smith suffered a season-ending leg injury in 2018 that almost took his life. Told that he might never play football again, Smith rose to the challenge and then some. The never-say-die quarterback not only made the roster last year, playing in eight games and starting six for the WFT, Smith led the nameless organization to a 5-3 record and their first playoff berth since 2015.

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Other Chiefs awarded the George Halas Award include former Chiefs defensive back Eric Berry who won the award in 2016 after winning his battle with Hodgkin Lymphoma.

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Speaking of Mr. Smith …

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Last Wednesday, Andrew Marchand of the New York Post reported that the newly retired Smith had auditioned with Fox Sports and CBS Sports for an analyst job. Smith is reportedly also talking with the NFL Network and ESPN. Wrote Marchand, “One person who saw Smith’s audition thought he had ‘No. 2 or 3 game analyst’ potential if he is into it.”

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Should Smith choose to join the broadcast booth, he will accompany the ranks of many a former Chiefs quarterback, including: Len Dawson, Rich Gannon, Trent Green, and even Todd Blackledge. I, like many other in Chiefs Kingdom, would much rather see Alex coaching on the Chiefs sidelines, but, I wish him success in whatever he does, post-NFL.

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Chiefs Suffer First Injury of the Year

The Chiefs suffered their first injury of the new year and it was to an OL… of course. Last Wednesday, while participating in OTAs, newly signed Chiefs offensive lineman Kyle Long suffered a lower-leg Injury, possibly fracturing a kneecap. The Chiefs medical staff is still evaluating the injury and whether surgery will be necessary. However, Coach Reid and his crew are hopeful Long will be ready to go when the season starts in September.

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Even if this is not the case, Chiefs GM Brett Veach’s work this offseason prepared the team for this very possibility. Candidates who could fill Long’s shoes include: Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, Trey Smith, Andrew Wylie, Yasir Durant, Lucas Niang, and Nick Allegretti. This O-line is built to last —> that’s Veach-tough, Baby!

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With a mandatory minicamp, training camp, preseason, a 17-game regular season, and, hopefully, a postseason still to come, this won’t be the only injury the Chiefs, or any other team, will face this year. Buckle up, Chiefs fans, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

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NFLPA Rookie Premiere Class

The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) released their Rookie Premiere Class of 2021 last Monday. The only Chief making the list was 5th-round wide receiver Cornell Powell.

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I’m looking forward to Chiefs rookies Nick Bolton, Creed Humphrey, and Trey Smith making them look foolish this season. I really am.

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Name-droppin’ Mahomey

Rappers Quavo, Takeoff and Offset, better known as the hip-hop group Migos, paid homage to Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes on their album, Culture III, released last Friday. The album features a song titled “Mahomes.” Included in the song lyrics, is the line:

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“Huncho the chief, had to send it to Mahomes.
Franchise tag, everybody want a loan (Mahomes)“

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Editor’s Note: We didn’t publish the song here on ArrowheadOne when it came out because some of the other lyrics which are objectionable.

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A little internet research shows the increasingly popular Mahomes is mentioned in close to 100 songs, mostly in the hip-hop and rap genre. The KC QB Superstar is even mentioned in two German rap songs (I know, right! I didn’t even know German rap was a thing either), a Hispanic, and an African song. Popular entertainers such as Drake and Rick Ross have paid homage to Mahomes in song, as well.

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While I’m sure Mahomes appreciates his new pop culture icon status, he’s yet to reach the heights of movie star Halle Berry, who permeates the minds of hip-hop and rap artists when they scribble their lyrics, and spit their rhymes.

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Give him time, Mahomes may yet catch up to my ex-girlfriend in the rap/hip-hop name-drop game. After all, he’s still young and there are records to be broken and Super Bowls to be won. Besides, it ain’t over till the fat lady sings.

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Elsewhere Around the League

NFL Loses A Giant Of A Man

The NFL has lost another of its own. Former New York Giants head coach Jim Fassel, suffered a heart attack and passed away last Monday in Las Vegas, NV. Coach Fassel played in the NFL, CFL, and WFL. He also served as an assistant coach for a plethora of college and NFL teams before being named the Giants head coach in 1997.

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Despite his many successes as an NFL player and coach, my most indelible memory of Jim Fassel will be his fortitude in helping the city of New York, and the country, heal and triumph in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. The mayor of New York asked, and Coach Fassel responded, resolute in his love for his city and his country. That sticks with me. RIP, Coach.

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NFL Preseason Schedule Now Official

The NFL finally released their 2021 Preseason Schedule. The precursor to the regular season kicks off on Thursday, August 5, 2021, with the Dallas Cowboys taking on the Pittsburgh Steelers in the annual NFL/Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio.

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The standoff continues in Green Bay. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was fairly quiet on the situation last week. However, that did not stop Packers president Mark Murphy from dumping gasoline on the ever-increasing inferno by dubbing Rodgers ‘a complicated fella’ during an event at Lambeau Field last Thursday.

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To further muddle matters, Rodgers’ heir apparent, backup quarterback Jordan Love, is purportedly talking smack at the Packer’s mandatory minicamp.

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I like Jordan Love and am looking forward to following his NFL career. However, someone needs to let this young man know that an 80-yard completion in practice is just that. It’s a practice pass that looked pretty. Complete it in a playoff game, or the Super Bowl, win that game, and then trash-talk. Perhaps the young Love should ask Aaron about that. Aaron who, you ask? Super Bowl XLV Champion and MVP, as well as 3-time NFL MVP, Aaron Rodgers. That’s who. Stay in your lane, young man.

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Chiefs Player Tweet of the Week

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Chiefs Fan Tweet of the Week

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Chiefs Quote of the Week

“I’m going to make sure no one in

this world touches Patrick Mahomes.”

– Orlando Brown, Jr.

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And we’re going to make sure to hold you to that, Zeus.

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Chiefs Dallas Texans

Blast from the Past

The Texans were so much better than the Boston Patriots, they had to have their fans help them win!

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Random Chiefs Stat of the Week

Julio Who? Oh, yeah. That guy. Last I saw him, he was down by the schoolyard, because he certainly wasn’t in the end zone. That was Tyreek!

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Julio Jones has 32 receiving TDs over the past 8 seasons (4 TDs per year), while Tyreek Hill has 34 receiving TDs over the past 3 (11.3 TDs per year).

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Dad Joke of the Week

I just bought a thesaurus, and when

I got it home, all the pages were blank.

I have no words to describe how angry I am.

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A Reason To Celebrate This Week

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This coming Saturday, millions of Americans, of all colors and creeds, will come together in celebration of Juneteenth across our nation. Juneteenth, also known as Jubilee Day, Liberation Day, Emancipation Day, or Freedom Day is a holiday where Americans celebrate the emancipation of those who’ve suffered enslavement in our country.

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Juneteenth got its origins on June 19, 1865, when United States Army General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, TX and announced General Order #3, proclaiming freedom from slavery in Texas. As black families migrated from Texas throughout our nation, the holiday gained in popularity elsewhere. While not a national holiday, 47 of the 50 United States recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday. North Dakota, South Dakota, and Hawaii are the only states that don’t recognize Juneteenth.

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A Smile To Start Your Week

Random acts of kindness make for a better, beautifuler, brighter world. Lend a hand, won’t you?

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Michael Travis Rose — ArrowheadOne

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