2 Takeaways From Chiefs’ Interview on Sunday NFL Countdown

Fortunate to keep having fun

“Trav,” Jason Kelce asked his brother. “Year 13. I don't know how many more you got left with these two guys right here, to your left and to your right (Mahomes and Reid). How are you approaching this season?”

“Man,” the Chiefs’ veteran replied, “I'll be fortunate to keep having fun with these guys, year-in year-out.”

True to form since he made official his plans to return back in March, Kelce sounded like a player planning to lace his cleats past this season. He certainly didn’t sound like a player in the middle of a retirement tour.

“I take it day-by-day, year by year,” Kelce quickly added. “I just love coming into work with these guys right here.

“The expectations every single year, year-in, year-out, is Super Bowl or failure. And not just to get there, to win it.”

Reid and Kelce are perfectly fine

Twice over the last eight months, cameras have caught Kelce and Reid engaged in a heated sideline conversation, most recently three weeks ago in the Chiefs’ win at New York. But in the ESPN interview, there was no indication that any bad blood exists between the longtime professionals.

As Jason Kelce struggled for the appropriate words in asking Reid about balancing accountability with allowing players to be themselves, the witty head coach broke the awkward tension.

“Spit it out, Jason!” Reid said, slapping his hand on the table.

The room erupted in laughter, the tight end demonstrating the loudest reaction. Reid showed the world in an instant why he’s so loved by his players. And while Reid still has a long way to go to pass Bill Belichick on the all-time wins list, the Chiefs’ head coach also has a much different personality.

“Yeah, listen,” Reid said, “we've got good guys, first of all. So, I'm just giving them guidelines, pretty simple ones: Be on time, work hard, be honest, and then try to stay within those guidelines.

“And then go be you. You want to get the best out of them, and the way they do that is they shine, man. Each guy shines his own shine, and some of them shine a little bit brighter.”

Under shining lights on Sunday Night Football (7:20 p.m. CT, NBC/KSHB-TV, Channel 41, 96.5 The Fan), the Chiefs (2-3) will need that extra brightness against a Lions team (4-1) that enters as the league’s hottest team, with four straight wins. Detroit also leads the NFL in points per game (34.8).

And the Chiefs need a win to avoid their worst start in 10 years, since they opened 1-5 in 2015 before rebounding to finish 11-5.