These are unique times that we’re living through.
The NFL is on lockdown, with coaches and personnel staffers unable to work in their normal facilities and offices. With the 2020 NFL draft just a few weeks away, the show must go on for teams like the Kansas City Chiefs. As Andy Reid spoke with the media on Thursday, we learned of his temporary office space that he’s conducting the offseason from.
“I wish I could take you on a virtual tour of this thing,” Reid told reporters on Thursday. “It’s kind of classic. I’m sitting in my basement, literally, and I’ve got an arc trainer sitting here in case I want to jump on that to get a little exercise. I’ve got my monitor set up along with my computer and my iPad right next to that. I’ve got one of my wife’s antique tables here, a little coffee table, that I’m using to throw everything on. I’m in the basement, and you know what, it’s not bad.”
Oh, how the tables have turned. Reid, a Super Bowl-winning head coach, has joined the noble ranks of keyboard warriors that work from their basements. Don’t believe Reid about his setup? The Chiefs’ social media team even shared a photo.
The grind never stops for Big Red 🐐 pic.twitter.com/C178nScVHx
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) April 2, 2020
It appears that Reid is looking at the December game against the Denver Broncos during this picture. What he’s looking for exactly? That’s a good question.
Reid got a bit nostalgic talking about the uniqueness of this offseason. He claims to be prepared for the uncertainty he’s dealing with now. It reminds him succinctly of the times before he was a coach in the NFL, back when he was the offensive line coach for San Francisco State from 1983-85.
“I’m glad I coached at San Francisco State because we had to work through a lot of things there,” Reid explained. “It was Division II, non-scholarship and everything wasn’t easy there. To film practice, we had to have a guy climb up on a ladder to film practice. The field, we had to have the players pick up rocks on the dirt field so we could actually practice. Those experiences help you in times like these, I think, when everything is not quite perfect to make it work.”
And Reid is making things work. He’s taking things day-by-day and working as if nothing has changed.
“Like you, we stay as current as we can through information from the League,” Reid said. “We’re approaching it like we’re having a season and I think it’s two-fold. It can be a real positive energy-giver back to the country at a time of need for that. At the same time, we are very sensitive to everything going on. As far as the offseason goes, again we are out of the office until they let us know that we can get ourselves back in. So, I’ve got different plans that I’ve set up for different stages [of the offseason] and whether it’s virtual work or whether they let us back in the building for fieldwork, whatever it is, I have put together plans for that. Then we’ll just take it day-by-day and see what presents itself. My main concern right now obviously is that everybody stays as safe as they can with this thing going on and as healthy as they can.”
Whether it’s back at the Chiefs’ facilities or from the underbelly of the Reid home, there’s a plan in place to make sure things go as smoothly as possible for Kansas City this offseason.
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