The Kansas City Chiefs will report back to Arrowhead Stadium on Tuesday, because this time around, attendance is not optional. Mandatory minicamp is set to begin, which should bring in everyone from the biggest names to the newest faces for a few spring days before the offseason's last big break ahead of training camp.
What will happen over the next three days? What should fans expect to see and hear? And what are the major storylines for the Chiefs as they report to camp?
What exactly is mandatory minicamp?
Every NFL team holds a mandatory minicamp each spring, typically in early June, and it's the only part of the league's offseason program in which the players are required to show up. The collective bargaining agreement is explicit on this: no club official can indicate to a player that any other part of the offseason program is mandatory. They're also not allowed to suggest that skipping anything else will hurt a player's chances of making the roster.
The Chiefs are holding their three-day minicamp on June 9-11, which means fans will get to hear from head coach Andy Reid and a number of players made available to the media all week long.
According to Spotrac, players who skip mandatory minicamp are subject to fines of $17,986 for the first day, $35,973 for the second, and $53,952 for the third. The Chiefs shouldn't have to worry about such things since everyone involved seems motivated to put in the work to rebound from a 6-11 season, but stranger things have happened. (Rashee Rice will sit out minicamp while serving a 30-day sentence in jail.)
What the CBA actually allows on the field
Per the NFL Players Association offseason rules, days at mandatory minicamp are capped at 10 hours of work, with a maximum of 24 hours of work across all three days. For the Chiefs, that's June 9-11. Teams are allowed two practices per day, but total field time is capped at 3.5 hours, and the second practice is limited to walk-through activities.
Pads are not allowed. Live contact is prohibited. That means no tackling at this stage of the offseason. What is allowed is 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills. The Chiefs can also conduct offense vs. defense sessions and special teams work, but all without live contact.
The CBA also forces the Chiefs and other teams to film every on-field session of minicamp (and OTAs) and to keep that footage available for at least 30 days after the start of the regular season. That allows the NFLPA to access footage in case a player complains of a rule violation. There are big penalties for missing footage as well, beginning with the loss of OTA weeks, hefty fines, and the loss of a draft pick for successive offenses.
What actually happens before minicamp begins
Chiefs players have already been busy heading into the start of minicamp activity. On Monday, Arrowhead hosted players for physicals and medical evaluations. This gives coaches and trainers a closer look at how rehabilitation is coming along, and which players have generally taken care of themselves (or not). Practice is not allowed until the Tuesday of minicamp week.
Health updates across the roster
Injury designations will be a key focus as minicamp gets underway. At OTAs, yellow jerseys were donned by wide receiver Xavier Worthy and defensive backs Kristian Fulton and Jaden Hicks. It will be worth monitoring whether or not those players can take on a larger workload during minicamp.
Of course, the biggest focus will be on quarterback Patrick Mahomes and how he's progressing in his return from a torn ACL. Chiefs fans should expect to hear from him directly as well as to sift through coach-speak as Reid and his coordinators are asked about Mahomes' recovery.
L'Jarius Sneed will also make his first (re)appearance with the Chiefs, so it will be important to see and hear about how he looks with the team after two frustrating seasons dealing with knee and quad injuries in Tennessee.
Chiefs position battles begin to take shape
Minicamp is going to be a prime opportunity to sort out the roster battles. The team's Extreme Makeover: Cornerback Edition is going to be a major talking point as Steve Spagnuolo figures out a new depth chart in the secondary. Sneed factors in here as well, so how he lines up will be a point of interest around Nohl Williams, Mansoor Delane, Kristian Fulton, Kaiir Elam, and Kader Kohou (among others).
Wide receiver will also be a major focus with Rashee Rice out. Jalen Royals has a prime opportunity to step up. Tyquan Thornton hopes to shoulder more responsibility. Xavier Worthy needs to make the leap. These three days are going to be very important for new WR coach Chad O'Shea to evaluate a positional group that looks largely the same from one year ago.
Will Esa Pole get a chance to upend Jaylon Moore at right tackle? How does the defensive front stack up with so many new additions inside? Is Jared Wiley the obvious TE3? How does a completely remade backfield look as they go through their first minicamp in KC?
While the pads won't come on until training camp, the next three days should provide the clearest picture yet of the Chiefs' roster and the questions that still remain before the 2026 season begins.
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