Tag: Todd Pinkston

Chiefs HC Andy Reid praises Carson Steele’s week of practice after not elevating Kareem Hunt

Kansas City #Chiefs head coach Andy Reid praises Carson Steele’s week of practice after not elevating Kareem Hunt | @EdEastonJr

The upcoming battle with the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday night for the Kansas City Chiefs could see an undrafted rookie starting at running back.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid decided to keep Kareem Hunt off the active roster for Sunday’s game official during Friday’s press conference.

“He did good. He’s in decent shape. Now, listen, he’s got to have an opportunity to play. He played a football game somewhere. So, to tell you the rest, he came in good shape. So that’s a plus.” said Reid. “We’ll see how it goes next week and see where he’s at; he got a lot of reps this week with a scout team. So that was good for him to get in there, run around, and get back into the football part.”

Rookie running back Carson Steele had additional opportunities with the starters during the week in Isiah Pacheco’s absence. Although Reid hasn’t officially made the decision, the assumption is that Steele will likely start on Sunday.

“He (Steele) doesn’t say much. He just kind of goes in and does his thing and goes 100 miles an hour every play,” said Reid. “So that’s what he did this week, and he did a nice job with that time.”

Chiefs running back coach Todd Pinkston also spoke highly of Steele at practice earlier this week, anticipating playing more on Sunday night.

“Carson (Steele) is going in just being confident,” said Pinkston. “You can see his work ethic, and (the) things that he’s doing are very impressive.”

Todd Pinkston on transition from player to coach under Chiefs HC Andy Reid

Pinkston is a first-year running backs coach with the #Chiefs after playing for Andy Reid in Philadelphia in the early 2000s. | from @TheJohnDillon

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Perhaps no coach on the Kansas City Chiefs’ staff has more experience with Andy Reid than Todd Pinkston, who is in his second position under the long-tenured skipper after taking the field for him as a player with the Philadelphia Eagles from 2000 until 2004.

Pinkston noted the unique quality of his unorthodox transition from playing for Reid to coaching with him in a recent interview, saying that his experience as a player in his offensive system informs his ability to coach the Chiefs’ running backs effectively.

“I know what to expect from him as far as the ins and outs and what to do and what not to do,” He explained. “It’s fun being on this side of the ball now. It’s giving me the joy that when he gave me the call, I was delighted to get an opportunity to come coach for him.”

Asked about how he got the opportunity to join the team, Pinkston made it clear that his mentality as a coach’s son helped him foster the relationship with Reid to get an internship last summer and, eventually, a full-time job.

“He always asked me because I’m always hitting him up every week when I left Philly or whatever,” Pinkston said of the relationship. “I’d always say, ‘Good luck, great job coach, and Coach, how’s the family?’ So, I’m always keeping in contact with him, and he always (asked) me ‘What am I doing?’ Am I always coaching somewhere? As far [as] if it’s a high school or college.

“I guess he saw the vision that I have and I have for myself being a coach’s son. I guess he saw it in me, so he gave me the opportunity to come be an intern with him last OTAs and last training camp and he saw something in me to bring me aboard.”

Pinkston will face an uphill battle in rebuilding the Chiefs’ running game in 2023, but has plenty of talent to help push his unit over the edge. Clyde Edwards-Helaire is sure to be motivated to win back his starting spot from Isiah Pacheco. Jerick McKinnon will try to replicate his breakout 2022 season, and rookie Deneric Prince seems motivated to make the most of his opportunity.

Their first-year coach will have a lot of work to do if he intends to make the ground game a focal point of Reid’s offense next season, but with experience on his side and a bond formed with trust, fans shouldn’t rule out the return of a throwback style attack in 2023 under Pinkston’s watchful eye.

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Chiefs RBs coach Todd Pinkston praised Isiah Pacheco’s maturity at OTAs

#Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco still isn’t participating in OTAs, but RBs coach Todd Pinkston had high praise for the second-year player. | from @EdEastonJr

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The Kansas Chiefs running back room in past off-seasons has had its concerns, but with the emergence of Isiah Pacheco last year, there is reason for optimism.

Last season’s breakout rookie performance has more than cemented Pacheco as the expected starter for this upcoming season. Pacheco was a seventh-round selection in the 2022 NFL draft but quickly established himself as a vital part of the offense, meshing well with quarterback Patrick Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid’s game plan.

Pacheco hasn’t been able to participate physically in OTAs due to recovery from off-season surgeries, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t been able to get involved. Chiefs running backs coach Todd Pinkston addressed Pacheco’s growth in the mental aspects of the game during Thursday’s press conference.

“He’s not missing anything.” said Pinkston, “He’s not missing anything. He comes to the meetings. He actually, if he’s on a field not doing his rehab, he’s actually getting a lot of mental reps, helping the young guys out, actually helping me out as well. So I don’t think he’s missing anything besides the physical part because he is getting all the mental parts of it.”

Pinkston believes the second-year player has matured, focusing on getting better and helping his teammates get better while he can’t be on the football field. Even though he’s missing the physical part of this portion of the offseason program, he’s staying active mentally. It’s a process that should help him get back to full speed quickly when he’s cleared to participate later this summer.

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Chiefs UDFA RB Deneric Prince reveals why he chose to sign with Kansas City

A new member of the #Chiefs’ coaching staff was a driving force in Deneric Prince’s undrafted free agency decision.

When the NFL draft concludes, it’s always a mad dash for the front office to sign undrafted free agents. Many of the top undrafted free agents have multiple teams calling them in an attempt to coax them to their rosters.

One of the Kansas City Chiefs’ top undrafted free agent signings, Tulsa RB Deneric Prince, told reporters that he had a pair of options to choose from following the 2023 NFL draft.

“I just had two options,” Prince said. “The Dolphins and the Chiefs.”

So why did Prince choose Kansas City? He says that new Chiefs running backs coach Todd Pinkston and assistant running back coach Porter Ellett played a big part in convincing him.

“I did a few zooms with the coaches, like during the draft process,” Prince said. “I really liked the coaching staff (and) the running back coaches (Running Backs Coach Todd Pinkston and Assistant Running Backs Coach Porter Ellett) (and) I feel like they like me, so I feel like this will be a good fit for me.”

Pinkston is new to the role for the Chiefs after Greg Lewis’ departure this offseason. Ellett was promoted to assistant RBs coach after serving as an offensive quality control coach in Kansas City. It’s pretty unique to see two new coaches making such an impact on a player this early into their tenure.

Prince didn’t only feel convinced that the system would be a good fit for him, but he saw how Isiah Pacheco was treated as a seventh-round pick in the 2022 NFL season.

“Seeing how they play (Isiah Pacheco) as like a seventh-round pick just showed that they’ll put the best player in,” Prince said.

Prince is hoping that he can show enough during the offseason that he can seize that same type of opportunity in Kansas City. He’s confident that he’ll get a chance, so long as he competes and shows that he’s the best.

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