Kansas City Chiefs are two-third of the way through their mandatory minicamp, which precedes a long break before the start of training camp. After practice the Chiefs made De’Anthony Thomas and Ron Parker available to the media. Here are some of the things they had to say to reporters.
Note: Thoughts from AA (me) are in italics.
DE’ANTHONY THOMAS
Q: How does it feel to be out there with all of your teammates and not just the rookies?
THOMAS: “I just feel great to be out here. I feel like it’s a great group of guys and great coaching. I’m excited just to be here and just execute and get to know this play book.”
Q: Are you getting to know a better sense of how the team will use you?
THOMAS: “Yes, a little bit of everywhere and just going out there and having fun.”
Q: Did they run you into the ground yesterday?
THOMAS: “Yeah, and me just getting used to this weather and stuff like that. I just have to train with it and get better.”
Q: How will you adapt your training to this humidity?
THOMAS: “Just got to keep working hard and keep some fluids in my body.”
AA: Welcome to Kansas City, buddy. My fluid of choice to keep me functioning is Boulevard beer. That might be part of the reason why I am not a very good athlete or in very good shape.
Q: What kind of coaching did you get while you were gone with Eric Bieniemy?
THOMAS: “Yes, every day just learning, learning from him. He’s a great coach and I’m excited.”
Q: What kind of stuff did you go over?
THOMAS: “Just looking over what they did in practice and that stuff. I feel like that’s about it.”
Q: Did it help?
THOMAS: “Yes.”
AA: Bieniemy was one of the drills coaches at the NFL combine. If he’s anything like he was during the combine then he’s a perfect match for Thomas. KC really does have a great coaching staff.
Q: How does your offense at Oregon compare to the Chiefs?
THOMAS: “It’s a lot different. I mean it’s the same scenario, but it’s a lot different. I feel like there’s better guys here and better players on offense.”
Q: How does Eric Bieniemy differ from your coaches at Oregon?
THOMAS: “I feel like he just makes us be disciplined and being in the right depth in our routes, getting the right foot work on our runs and stuff like that. That’s what’s going to make us great. Finishing forty yards down the field, finishing twenty yards down the field. You know, just working hard. ”
AA: Oregon occasionally lined Thomas up as a tight end. Just throwing that out there.
Q: What’s it been like to deal with quarter situation and not participate in OTAs?
THOMAS: “Yeah, it was tough, but I’m excited to be here now and now I just have to come and compete.”
Q: How much of it is mental and physical?
THOMAS: “Everything. Just going out there having fun, going out there, training hard, and practicing hard. Like I said, what a great group of guys. It’s great to learn from them and be motivated.”