Chiefs have persevered through injuries thanks to championship culture set by HC Andy Reid
Many football fans are scratching their heads over how the Kansas City Chiefs have begun the 2024 season at 5-0. On paper, it doesn't make a lot of sense. The Chiefs have been ravaged by injuries, losing their top two wide receivers and starting running back to injured reserve. They also had to bench their […]
Many football fans are scratching their heads over how the Kansas City Chiefs have begun the 2024 season at 5-0.
On paper, it doesn't make a lot of sense. The Chiefs have been ravaged by injuries, losing their top two wide receivers and starting running back to injured reserve. They also had to bench their starting left tackle, Kingsley Suamataia, just two games into the year because he was struggling mightily.
Defensively, Kansas City lost more than it gained during the offseason after the departures of cornerback L'Jarius Sneed and linebacker Willie Gay Jr. So, how exactly are the Chiefs one of just two remaining undefeated teams through the first five weeks of the season?
The answer is simply, really – championship culture. They're possibly the only team in the NFL that truly has it. When you win three Super Bowls in five years, expectations only get higher. This is far from the first time that the Chiefs have had to deal with some adversity, and you can look back to just last year for proof.
The steady hand of Andy Reid sets the tone. Reid has seen and been through it all during his 25-year head coaching career, but never panics and continuously finds ways to come up with solutions. Part of that is the "next man up" mentality that he has instilled into his team, which he credited his players with having after Monday night's win over the New Orleans Saints.
"So, these guys, you get tired of me saying this, but they don't flinch on all that stuff," Reid told reporters. "They just, the next guy gets up and he goes. And so, I'm proud of them for that. There's an attitude in the locker room with those guys that it has to start with that group there, and they just know that they trust the next guy is going to come in and do a good job. So, it's more of a positive thinking than a negative thinking, where you try to find all the warts. We are not doing that with these guys."
Keeping a positive attitude through adversity and embracing the challenge is not something that a lot of teams are able to do. The Chiefs have every excuse in the book to be sitting at 2-3 right now and nobody would blame them. However, they continue to rise to the occasion and find a way not only continue trucking on, but somehow get better.
In its first game without Rice, Kansas City's offense looked as good as it has all season, getting big contributions from Travis Kelce, Kareem Hunt and JuJu Smith-Schuster. It wasn't a perfect showing, but it was enough to get the win and be encouraged moving forward. Like he always has, Reid will continue to adapt and evolve as the Chiefs chase the first three-peat in history.
Veteran Chiefs WR turned the clock back with big primetime performance vs. Saints on Monday
Much needed for the Chiefs’ offense.
