Quarterback Patrick Mahomes acknowledged some apprehension Friday night upon returning to the Kansas City Chiefs practice facility for the first time in months amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“Definitely there’s going to be a little concern,” Mahomes said Saturday. “You’d be lying to say you had no concern.”
Mahomes said his fears were mostly alleviated during a tour of the practice facility and Arrowhead Stadium, which will both host portions of training camp — the stadium for meetings and locker areas, the facility for practice and conditioning.
Mahomes said he’s comfortable everything has been reasonably done to protect him and the other Chiefs players, citing the requirements of wearing a mask and social distancing to plexiglass partitions between lockers,
“It’s better than I thought coming in,” Mahomes said. “That’s kind of put my mind at ease, knowing that I’m going to be put in the best possible situation given this time.
“You can just see that the NFL and the NFLPA are really taking this seriously [with] the social distancing, the wearing a mask.”
Coach Andy Reid similarly said he was comfortable with the working environment
“People have gone to great ends to [protect players and coaches],” Reid said. “We’re as safe as you can be here.
“The dedication and staying disciplined when you leave this facility will be important. When you’re here, it’s a safe environment. You’ve got to continue that once you leave here.”
Chiefs rookies and select veterans, such as quarterbacks, have been tested twice for COVID-19 and allowed into the facility if both tests were negative. Other veterans were to be tested twice over four days beginning on Saturday and will be allowed into the facility after results from the tests have been confirmed.
Mahomes also said that recent talk from two of his teammates, defensive lineman Chris Jones and wide receiver Tyreek Hill, about the Chiefs winning multiple Super Bowl championships would be motivating. The Chiefs in February won their first Super Bowl in 50 years by beating the San Francisco 49ers.
“You love the guys having goals,” Mahomes said. “They want to be in Kansas City for a long time. They want to win championships. They don’t want to be average. They want to be great every single year.
“They know that they’re going to have to go out there every single day and prove that.”