Head Coach Andy Reid spoke with the media on Friday afternoon as the Kansas City Chiefs prepare for the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis next week.
Here's what stood out from the media session.
1. Reid spoke about the challenge ahead following a disappointing season in 2025.
The Chiefs posted their first losing season in more than a decade last year, dropping eight of their final nine games after beginning the campaign at 5-3. It wasn't at all how Kansas City expected the 2025 season to play out, but with those results now in the rearview, Coach Reid described his excitement for the task ahead.
"Listen, I love challenges, [and] every year is a challenge. This one presents a little different [of a challenge] because of what we're coming off of after this last year. Nobody wants that – fans don't want that, the organization doesn't want that, [and the] coaches [and] players don't want that," Reid said. "So, you dig in and you work to fix the problems that you think were in place, and [you] take care of business there… [That's] going to continue for a while, and eventually, you get this group together and you have an opportunity to train them through the offseason, and then up through training camp. It's great to see how that grows."
Reid explained that the Chiefs' coaches are currently working on scheme evaluations in the mornings and personnel evaluations in the afternoons.
2. The Chiefs made some additions to their coaching staff in recent weeks, which included the hiring of Wide Receivers Coach Chad O'Shea. Reid spoke about O'Shea on Friday.
O'Shea, who served as the Cleveland Browns' Wide Receivers Coach last season, has more than 20 years of experience in the NFL. Unsurprisingly, that was the first thing Reid pointed out on Friday when discussing O'Shea's hiring.
"Chad has a ton of experience…He's been around, [and] he's worked at a championship-caliber level with New England," Reid said. "He's had a lot of good receivers, and done well with them…I really like what he brings to the table, [and] he's been in a coordinator position, [so] he has a good feel for the whole [picture]."
Indeed, O'Shea served as the Miami Dolphins' Offensive Coordinator in 2019. He also has experience coaching wide receivers in Minnesota (2006-08), New England (2009-18) and Cleveland (2020-25).
Fittingly, O'Shea's professional coaching career began in Kansas City as a Volunteer Assistant back in 2003.
3. Reid also spoke about the hiring of DeMarco Murray, who will serve as the Chiefs' Running Backs Coach in 2026.
Murray, who played seven seasons in the NFL from 2011 through 2017, joins the Chiefs after spending the last six seasons in the same capacity at the University of Oklahoma. Notably, Murray helped develop future New England Patriots' running back Rhamondre Stevenson during his time with the Sooners.
"He could've stayed there [at Oklahoma] – he's a legend there – so, he could've stayed there forever probably, but he wanted to get in the National Football League. He wanted to be here and learn," Reid said. "If I'm a running back coach, what a great opportunity to learn. There's nobody better to learn from than [Offensive Coordinator] Eric [Bieniemy] for that particular spot. I think that intrigued him."
Reid went on to explain that Bienemy, while on UCLA's coaching staff, recruited Murray out of high school. Murray ended up going to Oklahoma, but all these years later, he now has a chance to learn under Bieniemy's leadership.
4. With the NFL Scouting Combine just a few days away, Reid discussed the opportunity of picking ninth overall in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Chiefs are set to make their highest first-round selection since 2013, and while last season's results weren't up to the organization's standard, it now presents a golden opportunity for General Manager Brett Veach and his personnel staff.
Reid spoke about that opportunity on Friday.
"Nobody wants to be picking at ninth, but we are, [and] that's the reality of it. So, you dig in and you put a plan together and go for it the best you can," Reid said. "[Veach has] his guys in here, [and] they've done a couple of lockdowns already where he's had them in for a couple of weeks. They live in that room, and they go through all of these different players. Good things normally come out of those meetings, and I look forward to how the draft goes."
With the draft process in mind, Reid was asked to describe the type of players the Chiefs are looking for this offseason.
"You have to come in with the right attitude, for sure," Reid said. "There's a fit – literally – there's a certain expectation that we have, and we didn't reach that this past year. It's important that we take care of business from a coaching standpoint and from an organizational standpoint, whether it's personnel or front office, and make sure we keep the expectations high and aggressive. [Part of that is] making sure we bring in the right people to be able to do that and handle that."
5. Reid also spoke about quarterback Patrick Mahomes' progress as he continues to work his way back from last season's knee injury.
Mahomes is now two months removed from the season-ending ACL injury he suffered in December, and according to Reid, the two-time NFL MVP is making great progress so far.
"He's around here all the time. He spends a ton of time here – seven hours a day," Reid said. "He's in there cranking away, making progress every day, and it's great to see him [working with Assistant Athletic Trainer] Julie [Frymyer]…You have to fight through it, and you have to attack the challenge of the workout and rehab. He's doing a great job of that."
