Watch: Offensive Coordinator Matt Nagy Before Monday’s Practice

On signs that Patrick Mahomes is excited about the deep ball back in the offense:

“I think it's, for sure, the mindset. It started not just right now, but it started in OTAs. And for him, it's when you start looking at just whether it's a progression. I'll use, for example, if there's something where there's a post over the top, or if there's something as simple as a guy in the flat with an intermediate route, it's the mindset of being able to know, you might not throw the post, but you're going to start there.

“And it's always been that way. But I think the repetitive nature of where we're at, it's important. And he's had that, I mean, since OTAs. We talk internally. We have some reminders for him, and it's good for him, and those guys, they're embracing it. And I think it's, ‘Now we got to just go out there and play within the play.’”

On how the Chiefs remind Mahomes to go through his progressions:

“There's a few acronyms we have that are good, and I think they get to the point, but I'll keep that internal.”

On tackle Josh Simmons, his preparation for the NFL at Ohio State, and how he’s different:

“I'd say the biggest thing with Josh is, to that point (Ohio State), is when you're playing in front of that many people at that big of a game every week, and his O-line coach that he had, Coach (Justin) Frye, did a heck of a job with him. He's really prepped him well.

“And coming into this role, I think now it's on Josh to be able to take that and make mistakes, but then not make the same mistake twice. There's a mentality to that, and he's been really good with that. Preseason has been great for him. You also kind of have to have that mindset internally of who you are, of a belief in yourself, that if you do mess up, you're ready for the next time that that happens, to dominate it. And I think that's what he's had, just a really great mindset with those challenges.”

On whether his personality is even-keel in the meeting room:

“No, he's even-keeled. There's nothing to that. He's been a guy that, really, he's been impressive for being a rookie and being thrown into this from the very first play. Then to stay there and continue to just work hard and fight through his mistakes. That's the biggest thing that I've seen, is being able to be persistent, resilient, stay true to what he does believe in. And then he's got good coaching, Coach (Andy) Heck and Coach (Corey) Matthaei.”

On how much GM Brett Veach consults coaches in the draft process, for players like Simmons:

“It's a good deal with Veach and the scouting department, the personnel. I think they do a really good job of making sure they’re using our time the right way. Because what happens is, we get into the offseason and we're so locked in as coaches on trying to scheme eval. And when you go late into the season like we have (Super Bowl), there's a balance to your work.

“So what they've done, I think has been really great, is they go ahead and give us a cloud of guys that they really want to put an emphasis on. And those guys were in that cloud. And so, when we watch them as coaches, you get to kind of put your own opinion on those players, and then they can value or devalue what you say or what you think. And they're doing this a lot longer than we are, coming off a season and watching guys; we're giving more of a 30,000-foot view.”

On preparing the offense, especially Simmons and guard Kingsley Suamataia, for a unique international-game environment:

“Just prepping them as much as you can on the front end, and then you can't really simulate it. Every time you go to play a game out of the country, we always talk about, there's like this constant buzz that goes on in the stadium where it's really not super, super loud, but it's not quiet.

“So, I think until you're there and you understand that, we're gonna obviously do what we need to do with snap counts, and whether it's cadence or verbal, et cetera. But for those guys, just understand, more than anything, for these guys, when you're out there as any type of rookie, it's no longer preseason; this is the real deal. So, I think that's probably the biggest thing. And then the atmosphere that goes with it as a part of it.”

On what he sees as most notable in Patrick Mahomes over the years:

“Probably his consistent drive to be great. And when I say that, sounds pretty easy to say, but when you do the things that he has done early in his career, and he comes back the next year and wants to do more and work harder and be a greater leader, he truly leads by example. He's a guy that is one that he leads in every way possible on the field.

“I think what's happened is he's done a good job at being able to step back where he's at now in his career and say, individually for him, ‘Let's get back to the basics. Let's get back to fundamentals and let's get back to progressions.’ And that's where we've been challenged as a staff to make sure that we hold him accountable, and he wants that. And so it's an all-encompassing deal. But the leadership, the drive to be great every year and be better is just, it's not normal, and I think he does a great job with that.”

On running back Isiah Pacheco returning to form:

“Well, we've always said, Nate, that he's our energy; he's our energy guy. Whatever he does, he brings it every single play. Last year, we lost a little bit of that when he got hurt. And then he came back, and I don't know if he was, with his weight and everything was where exactly he was. But he came into this year in OTAs, and then into training camp, with a really good weight, playing fast.

“You see it on tape. I mean, you see him finishing every single play. There's this focus that he has right now. He's locked in. I think he's very, very motivated. He felt what we felt last year, and so he's a leader now. I mean, this is no longer his first or second year. He's become a leader, and we need him.”