Andy Reid gives Patrick Mahomes his flowers along with other key takeaways as Chiefs wrap up practice week in Brazil
Chiefs are in São Paulo ahead of regular season opener.
SÃO PAULO — Winning a Super Bowl is hard enough. But being as consistent as the Kansas City Chiefs have been since Patrick Mahomes was drafted is a rare feat. It’s obviously not a coincidence, and head coach Andy Reid knows how valuable his quarterback has been to the success of the franchise.
Not only because Mahomes is a generational talent, but also because of how impactful he is as a positive locker room leader.
Right after the Chiefs’ only practice in Brazil ahead of the Los Angeles Chargers game in São Paulo, Reid didn’t hold back to praise Mahomes.
“He’s a special guy and a heck of a football player, but also a good father, a good person, a good husband,” Reid said. “And he goes about his business the right way. I appreciate that. I appreciate how he handles his teammates and works with them. He doesn’t put himself above them, but he’s in with them. And that’s important in this sport, that you do that.”
Atmosphere in Brazil
The Chiefs arrived in Brazil on Wednesday night, and the fan reception in the airport was intense. Defensive tackle Chris Jones has loved everything about it, promising he will return to Brazil at some point—whether it’s to play a game or not.
“It’s going crazy in the environment. As soon as we got off the plane, we could hear the tenacity of the fans, and how excited they are for us to be here,” Jones stressed. “First time in Brazil, I’m definitely coming back. This is definitely a trip I’ll be making back. I don’t know if it’s going to be with or without the team, but I’m coming back. I’m super excited for the opportunity.”
Based on how popular the Chiefs are in Brazil, in addition to Taylor Swift fans, Kansas City should have many more fans in the stadium, even though the Chargers are the designated home team.
Different experience
A game in Brazil to open the regular season brings its own challenges. It was a 12-hour flight from the United States, plus a Friday game, before the return during the weekend. For Mahomes, keeping things as normal as possible is the trick to be successful.
“Just staying in the routine as much as possible. Coach Reid does a great job, and everybody here does a great job of keeping us in the routine,” Mahomes mentioned. “Then it’s just about accepting the challenge. At the end of the day, you’re coming here to play football, to play a game, and we’re going to play in front of a great fan base. Go out there and accept the challenge. We’re playing against one of our division opponents, so it’ll be a great test for us. But if you’re going to be here, you might as well try to win this thing.”
The Chiefs and Chargers play on Friday at 7 p.m. CT, 9 p.m. local time in Brazil. It’s the second NFL game ever in São Paulo—last year, the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Green Bay Packers en route to a Super Bowl championship. Kansas City wants to keep that tradition alive.
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