Tag: distractions

Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco discussed his biggest improvement in 2022

#Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco told ESPN about a key area that he improved in the most in 2022. | from @TheJohnDillon

The Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl win in February was an extraordinary accomplishment for a team that hosted several rookies starting at key positions on both sides of the ball.

Isiah Pacheco, the Chiefs’ rising star running back, was particularly impressive during Kansas City’s championship run in the playoffs and told ESPN’s Adam Teicher about the areas of his game that he saw the most improvement in last season. By Pacheco’s estimation, it wasn’t anything that changed for him on the field, but rather how he responded to things happening in his life away from the gridiron.

“One of the [biggest] things I improved on, [is] eliminating the distractions,” Pacheco explained. “I could have a thousand things going on, a lot of people hitting my phone up. I just kind of sit it on silent, sit it to the side. When it’s time to work, it’s time to work.”

He elaborated further, telling Teicher that his ability to keep his mind clear and focus on the task at hand helped him to make such a crucial impact for the Chiefs in his rookie season.

“It happened so fast and for me, not expecting it but dreaming of it, putting [in] the work to get here,” Pacheco said. “I’m not surprised that the hard work got me here. I’m just surprised it happened so fast. It means the absolute world to me. Especially when you write down in your notes what your goals are and then you come back to them. For me, I’m going to come back to them, grab that pen and check them off.”

Clearly, the second-year Super Bowl champion is committed to putting forth the necessary effort to maintain his status as one of the most important cogs in Kansas City’s offense. With the help of Pacheco’s powerful running style and the benefit of the experience he gained in 2022, the Chiefs should be positioned to defend their title as world champions next season.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

Playoffs: Pete Carroll ‘adamant’ Seahawks treat every game the same

Despite advancing to the divisional round of the playoffs, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll remains cool and collected, avoiding distractions.

The Seattle Seahawks beat the Philadelphia Eagles over the Wild-Card Weekend and now advance to the divisional round of the postseason, slated to face off against the Packers in Green Bay this Sunday.

Pete Carroll has been to his fair share of playoffs games in his tenure as the head coach of the Seahawks and he’s learned a few things in his 10 years in Seattle.

“The challenge really is the managing the players’ mentality,” Carroll told reporters Wednesday. “That’s the challenge to it. Keeping them balanced and clear thinking and not distracted by all the hoopla at the front of it and all that. There’s such a buildup when you go to each game. Each week is just so much fun because it’s so intense as you move through it that it’s managing that.”

Since he’s been in the Emerald City, Carroll’s squads have made the playoffs eight of the last 10 years, including two trips to the Super Bowl. But with the rookies and some veterans who have never experienced the postseason, Carroll is insistent the team prepares like any other week.

“That’s why I’m so adamant that we treat every game the same and we try to learn how to discipline our focus so that we don’t get distracted by the natural things that you guys all think should distract us; the matchups, the hype, the buildup,” Carroll continued. “Whatever it is. How many times we’ve won, and they’ve won or whatever in years past. All that stuff, it doesn’t mean anything at all. Sorry. That’s the biggest thing I’ve dealt with and to try to manage everybody well, coaches, too, so we don’t screw it up and get unlike ourselves and play unlikely fashion.

“That’s what we don’t want to do – we want to play like we know how to.”

So while the hype might be real for the fans, it’s business as usual for Carroll and his Seahawks.

[lawrence-related id=54534]