Kansas City Chiefs rookies have been through their initial COVID-19 screening and they’re onto the next step of training camp. They’re that much closer to actual football with a week of strength and conditioning training ahead. In what has been perhaps the most unusual offseason, players like RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire expressed relief and excitement to finally be in the building and doing what they love.
“Ultimately I’m just really happy to be here,” Edwards-Helaire said. “This is my happy place. I’ve been doing this – I’ve only been on the Earth for 21 years and I’ve been playing football ever since I was five, so this is what I do. I can’t wait, everything, the setup, everything about everything here is perfect for me and I can’t wait.”
For LB Willie Gay Jr., he’s motivated to come in and be the best possible version of himself for the Chiefs.
“Ah man, after it’s been postponed for so long, it’s finally here,” Gay Jr. said. “I’m motivated and ready to get better and make the team better any way I can. I just feel like I’m getting to do what I love again so it’s exciting.”
While there is still some apprehension over the new protocols related to COVID-19, OL Lucas Niang felt comfortable seeing everything being done in Kansas City to keep players safe.
“I’m super excited, it’s nice to see how they’re doing everything safety-wise, keeping us safe and making us feel comfortable,” Niang said. “But I’m really excited to get on the field.”
The rookies still haven’t exactly seen what a normal day looks like in the NFL. When they spoke to the media, they were still adjusting to the new normal with the intake period occurring at the start of training camp.
“Well right now, we’re just testing every day, six to eight a.m., and we’re eating lunch right around 12, we have meetings from probably one – somewhere from one, two to four, somewhere in that range,” Gay Jr. said. “This our second day in, so today we’ll just start physicals, getting medical stuff out the way and make sure everybody’s good on that end.”
Now that they’re set to hit the weight room, they’ll get the slightest taste of actual football. A week from now they’ll be closer to the next step, which is five days of non-padded practices. By the middle of August, they’ll be putting the pads on for the first time and really getting a look at what NFL football is all about.
