PREVIOUS UPDATES

Friday, August 7: Afternoon Practice

It was a cloudy practice with a chilly 66 degree temperature and a humidity of 86 percent. The wind was due southeast at a speed of seven miles-per-hour. Fans were all bundled up similar to the morning practice, but this time there was no rain.

There were a comparable amount of fans at the afternoon practice as there were at today’s morning practice. About 80 fans attended the eleventh Chiefs practice. The weather was not very welcoming, but once again people were able to see the true fans show their true colors, red and yellow.

Tyson Jackson Press Conference
The Chiefs first-round draft pick, third overall, defensive end Tyson Jackson was at practice this afternoon after everything was put in order with his contract. Jackson signed a five-year contract worth 57 million dollars. When asked how that amount of money feels, Jackson said, “Man, I’m honestly not concentrating on that. I was just trying to get out here, with my teammates and try to learn the system as fast as possible.”

Jackson said that waiting around to come to training camp was hard in the sense that he’s now a week behind. He said that he tried his best to keep up with his teammates via phone calls and text messages. “It was pretty hard, though, because they were always in meetings and stuff like that,” he said. Jackson said he was getting antsy to get to River Falls for training camp, but he understood that signing a contract is a meticulous process that everyone has to go through. “I was just waiting patiently for my cell phone to ring and get the call to come up here,” he said.

When asked how he kept himself in good physical shape while he waited to attend camp, Jackson said he worked out at his Alma Mater. “I was training back at LSU with some of my former teammates,” the defensive end said.

When asked about the moment that he finally realized he was getting close to ending the contract process and getting to training camp, Jackson laughed. “Last night when I got the phone call,” he chuckled. “I mean, I really didn’t have a clue. I was just really happy to get the phone call. I told my family about it, and everybody was like, it’s time for you to get out of the house and play some football.” Jackson said that he had been asleep when he got the call, so the good news woke him up. “I was just ready,” Jackson said. “My bags were packed up already. I was just waiting for the next thing to fly me here to Wisconsin and get started with my new team.”

Obviously, Jackson has some catch up to do, having missed a week of training camp. Jackson said he is ready for the challenge. “I’ve got some good veterans around me,” the rookie said. “Those guys are already helping me out a lot. They’re teaching me the ropes already, going through some things we went through at OTAs.” Jackson said he understands it will take some time for him to get caught up, but he’s “pretty confident in [his] teammates and coaches to help [him] out a whole lot.”

Second-year defensive end Glenn Dorsey played with Jackson at LSU before becoming a Chief as the fifth overall selection in the 2008 NFL Draft. When Jackson was asked about how much he anticipated leaning on Dorsey going forward, Jackson laughed and said, “A whole lot.” As former teammates, Jackson said he “looks up to the guy” and considers Dorsey a “tremendous player.” Jackson said he plans to lean on Dorsey as much as possible and get advice from him throughout the season.

Defensive Line Coach Tim Krumrie is pretty intense. When Jackson was asked what it was like to work for the hardcore coach, he said, “Oh man, he’s a great coach. I’m still learning from him every day. Sometimes I’m amazed I’m on the field with Coach Krumrie.” Jackson said he’s learning some things from Krumrie based on the things the ex-defensive linemen had been through in his years in the NFL. “I’m just trying to take advantage of that,” Jackson said. Jackson spent substantial time working with Krumrie after this afternoon’s practice. When asked if he felt Krumrie did that often, worked one-on-one, Jackson said, “He’s never too busy for you. Early in the morning or late at night, he’s always available to come share some of his wisdom with you.”

Jackson was asked if he anticipated a starting spot with the Chiefs this season. Jackson said, “I’m not really focused on that right now. I’m just so far behind. I’m just trying to get the play book and learn as much as I can before we start with preseason.”

When asked what he expected to bring to the Chiefs defense, Jackson said he just wants to be out with his teammates. “When they’re sweating, when they’re going through those tough times, I just want to be out here with those guys,” he said. With a lot of great coaches and a lot of great veterans, Jackson thinks “the sky’s the limit right now.”

Defense

Linebacker Weston Dacus's name was no longer listed on the Chiefs roster, having been cut from the team.

Cornerback DaJuan Morgan and linebackers Mike Vrabel, Demorrio Williams, Zach Thomas and Monty Beisel were not at practice.

The Chiefs first-round draft pick was at this afternoon’s practice. Defensive end Tyson Jackson ran drills with the defense, but had to have things explained to him a little bit. Defensive Line Coach Tim Krumrie pulled Jackson to the side while the defensive linemen worked on the single sled. He made sure that Jackson understood what was expected of him during the drill before he let Jackson join the rotation. Krumrie explained that he expected Jackson to hit the sled and make the metal on the pad hit the metal on the frame. He also wanted to reiterate the fact that the drill was meant for the linemen to practice “locking it up” as they hit the sled. When it was Jackson’s turn on the sled, Krumrie was pleased. The only thing he asked of the rookie was that Jackson watch fellow rookie defensive end Alex Magee, who has been impressive on the single sleds thus far.

During a defensive line drill, defensive end Dion Gales tripped over the last of four dummies. This made the rest of the defensive linemen laugh.

During 7-on-7, quarterback Matt Cassel attempted a pass to wide receiver Dwayne Bowe. Bowe didn’t come back to the ball, and cornerback Brandon Carr was able to swat the pass out of the air. Fans on the west fence line weren’t impressed with Bowe’s performance, as they hollered, “Come on, D. Bowe!” Later, safety Bernard Pollard picked off another Cassel pass.

When the offensive and defensive lines got together to work one-on-one, defensive end Wallace Gilberry jumped offsides and had to run as a result. Later, rookie defensive end Tyson Jackson jumped offsides and quickly learned the consequences of his indiscretion. When asked about it later, Jackson said he wasn’t used to the new rule, but he understood it was a team rule and as part of the team, he had to “pay [his] dues and touch the fence.”

The team spent some time working on screens, draws and quick passes in an 11-on-11 session. Cornerback Brandon Flowers knocked down a pass that was intended for receiver Bobby Engram, by making a quick, athletic play.

The second-teamers got their shot during 11-on-11. Three nice defensive plays were made on the drive. Cornerbacks Travis Daniels and Ricardo Colclough both knocked down passes on the drive, but the play of the session came when rookie cornerback Donald Washington knocked down quarterback Tyler Thigpen’s last-second heave toward the endzone.  Receiver Jeff Webb was there to make a play, but Washington would have none of it.

Defensive end Glenn Dorsey was quickly swarmed by media after practice to get asked about newly signed teammate and fellow defensive end Tyson Jackson. “I’m excited that he’s finally here,” Dorsey stated. “We’re putting in our work, and he’s going to have to catch up. He’s a week behind, so he has some making up to do, but he’s a hard worker, and he’ll be good to go. He’s got some veterans giving him advice and helping him out.” No sooner had Dorsey finished his interview, did Jackson walked past him to start a press conference. “Hey!  Need a towel?!” Dorsey yelled to his teammate, jokingly, after Jackson’s first practice with the team.

Offense

Running back Kolby Smith and guard Wade Smith were inactive for yet another practice.

During the 11-on-11 “Team Run” drill, running back Jamaal Charles had two big runs. The first came on an inside handoff in between center Rudy Niswanger and guard Mike Goff. Charles exploded through the hole and was untouched for 15 yards. His next big run came off the right tackle. Charles hit the accelerator and picked up another easy 15-yard gain.

Tight end Brad Cottam had a diving catch in the middle of the field to complete the play off a quarterback Brodie Croyle throw.

While the team was working on taking a safety, two guys on the punt return team weren’t on the field when they were supposed to be. Running backs Dantrell Savage and Jamaal Charles forgot they were supposed to be on the field. Head Coach Todd Haley had a few words for the guys, saying, “Do we not know anything? Didn’t we just have this team out here?”

Once again the team ran a two-minute drill. Quarterback Matt Cassel started the drive off great, completing his first two passes for first downs. His third pass was intentionally thrown away. Linebacker Vince Redd was the only defensive player that cheered, yelling a childish, “Yeah!” Cassel went to wide receiver Dwayne Bowe on the next throw, but it was incomplete. Bowe wanted a flag from Mike Carey’s officiating crew. The final play of the drill was a draw to running back Jamaal Charles. The drive was abruptly ended with no explanation.

Special Teams

Punter Dustin Colquitt shanked a punt during the team’s punting drill today. The punt hardly traveled more than 20 yards.

Extra, extra...

During this afternoon’s practice, quarterback Matt Cassel was wearing grey sweatpants instead of black athletic shorts like the rest of his teammates. Defensive end Alfonso Boone was also not in proper attire, as he was wearing red Kansas City Chiefs pants.

At about 5:50 p.m. the entire team changed out of their pads between fields 1 and 2. They proceeded to put on their shells and continue with practice.

Head Coach Todd Haley was graced by the presence of his parents today at the afternoon practice. Dick and Carolyn Haley watched proudly from the sidelines as their son directed the team. Dick was hired as a player personnel analyst for the Miami Dolphins last year. Dick has been working in the NFL since 1971 and was in charge of the Pittsburgh Steeler’s draft when they selected four future Hall of Famers in the 1974 Draft. It is often considered one of the greatest drafts by a single team in NFL history. Those four would lead the Steelers to four Super Bowl titles by the end of the decade. After practice had ended, Todd pulled Larry Johnson to the side to personally introduce his starting running back to his parents. All four seemed engaged in conversation and were smiling and laughing for about five minutes before Johnson excused himself and stepped away to take questions from the press.

At the end of practice, linebacker Tamba Hali spent quite a long time signing autographs for fans. He was out there even after the conclusion of the post-practice press conference. At around 7:35 p.m., Hali was still signing autographs.

Fans

Bill Fitzgerald and his son Alex (9) of West Branch, Iowa watched practice from practice field 1 near the parking lot. It is their third time coming up for camp, and Bill said that he has been a Chiefs fan for about ten years or so, and Alex has been a fan for almost his entire life. Bill mentioned that each game they go to, they tailgate with the superfans in Kansas City, and they also have their own photographer. Once, his battery ran out in his camera and the photographer let him use one of his. Alex’s favorite players are running back Larry Johnson and former tight end Tony Gonzalez (1997-2008). He got guard Mike Goff’s glove yesterday during the autograph session because they were from Iowa, and that is where Goff went to college. The autographs he was able to get yesterday were from guard Brian Waters, tackle Branden Albert, center Rudy Niswanger and tackle Colin Brown. Also joining Bill and Alex are Rachel and Skylar (13) and Katie Tucker (13) who is Skylar’s friend from West Branch.

Kate Bevington was painting her nails while watching the tenth practice. The Dallas Cowboy fan also came with her sister Ginny McKinney and her husband Jim. They are visiting Summer Training Camp for their fifth year in a row. Even though Bevington likes the Cowboys, she said she still enjoys watching the Chiefs practice, and she pays particular attention to the punters, long snappers and special teams. “I just want to see their ability and see if they can do what they’re suppose to do,” stated Bevington. She also mentioned that she likes to watch how the coaches and players interact, especially since there are new staff members and new players. She then added that Head Coach Todd Haley is much more verbal than past coaches have been, and she thinks it is a good thing because "the players have to know what they have to do. If they do it wrong, they’ll get called out for it."

Watching from the south bleachers were the Stevenson and Mooney families. Diane, Archie and daughter Kyran Stevenson are from Kansas City, Mo. and have been to camp nine years total. Joining them were Patricia, Adolphus, daughter Rainna Stevenson, and her son Raynier Perkins (7) from Lees Summit, Mo., and they have been to camp four or five times. They all agreed that they have always been huge Kansas City Chiefs fans. Archie mentioned that he has noticed a big difference in the amoutn of interaction the fans have with the players, and he thinks that the change may have to do with the change of coaching staff. They mentioned that Byron Whitman, a security guard at camp, is also a security guard at their church, which is St. James United Methodist Church. Patricia mentioned that she used to be a cheerleader for the Chiefs. She was a “Chiefette” all five years that they had it. Both families are also really big fans of Derrick Thomas and Len Dawson, former Chiefs.

Donald and Roberta Toomer, parents of wide receiver Amani Toomer, were watching their son from the bleachers. Roberta said that they have been to every training camp so far to watch Amani except for his first one, and she tries to go watch at least one game a month. They were unfamiliar with the training camps, so they didn’t go watch Amani at his first training camp. Afterwards, Amani told them about it and said they should have been there; they have been to each one since then. Donald said that unfortunately he is unable to go watch Amani’s games all the time because he runs the game clock for the Oakland Raiders. Donald enjoys football, and he also said that he was refereeing a game in San Fransico, Cal. when Amani was born. His parents said that Amani is excited about being with the Chiefs and is glad that he can keep playing, even though it might take awhile to get used to things since this is his second NFL team. They also mentioned that Amani is very quiet and mild mannered. Over the years, he has become a little more talkative because of all the interviews, but for the most part he keeps to himself. Out on the field however “…he doesn’t take anything from anyone,” said Roberta. For Christmas last year, Amani got replicas of the Super Bowl rings the Giants received for the 2007 season, and he gave them to his parents as Christmas gifts. Amani also likes to get involved with the community. For example, in New York, he donated money to a school district to build playgrounds for kids to give them an opportunity to play.

Tim and Kathy Johnson cheered on some of their favorite players at this afternoon’s practice. “We are so happy to see (defensive end) Tyson Jackson here!” Tim said excitedly. “We were wondering if they were every going to get his contract worked out.” Kathy was also keeping her eye on a few particular players. “I’m pretty excited that we signed (receiver) Amani Toomer the other day. It looks like we should have a pretty solid receiving core for this season with Dwayne (Bowe), Mark (Bradley), Bobby, (Engram), Amani (Toomer) and (Jeff) Webb.”  The Jacksons hail from Gary, Ind. and have been coming to Chiefs camp for five years now.

David Hampton and his son Kevin of Springfield, Mo. were stoked to see such an intense scrimmage between the offense and defense today. “I like (linebacker) Derrick Johnson and (defensive end) Glenn Dorsey,” Kevin said. Kevin plays junior high school football and is a linebacker. Both men were having a good time while on vacation, as David explained, “it’s always nice to get away for something like this, especially when I can bring my son and have some real man-to-man time. You never know if you will have opportunities like this one again.”

Jim and Sharron Fisk from Rockford, Ill. attended the eleventh Kansas City Chiefs practice, making this their eighth year of coming to Summer Training Camp. “I can see a difference in the practices," said Jim. "The drills seem to be better. I’m not sure if they will get eight wins quite yet, but it’s looking better with the new coaching staff and some new players.” As far as the Chiefs moving practice to Missouri goes, Jim says he is okay with the change, but it will be a farther drive for him. He and his wife are hoping to be able to go more when Jim retires.

A group of four couples attended practice this afternoon. Paul and Sherry Ellensohn, of Kansas City, Mo., Jim and Pennie Ahmann of Wellington, Mo., Jerry and Vicki Good of Greenvalley, Mo. and Gary and Diana Dixon from Wellington, Mo. all gathered at the south fence of the fields to enjoy the chilly, afternoon practice.The couples have been long-time friends and have attended Summer Training Camp in years past. “I’ve been up here four times," said Paul. "I really wish the Chiefs would keep practicing here, but I know it will be good for Missouri.” His wife, Sherry, feels the same and really enjoys the River Falls area. As for the new players everyone is looking forward to seeing the out come this season, Vicki said, “I’m hoping to see our new quarterback be a super star." While the couples are in town, they also like to take some time to golf and do some tailgating before practices.

Friends John Bier and Sean McFall from Kansas City, Mo. were at the 11th Kansas City Chiefs practice, making this their fifth year attending camp. The season ticket holders try to attend every practice and even though they are not excited about the move to St. Joe, Missouri next year for Summer Training Camp, they probably will still go. “We’re sad to see it leave River Falls. We love this area and enjoy taking the trip up here,” said Bier. Over the years, the two have seen many changes in the practice style due to a change in coaching staff and players. “It’s amazing how intense and physical the practices are now. (Former Head Coach) Herm Edwards was to easy on them and I think (now Head Coach) Todd Haley will be able to make them sweat a little more,” commented McFall.

2009 Staff

Students and staff covering the Chiefs this year.
Front, left to right: Amanda Kane (Fans, Seniors Day),
Renee Thony (Sidelines), Linda Abel (Fans, Kids' Days),
Jim Thies (Sports Information Director).
Back, left to right: Deb Toftness (Office Manager),
Kevin Harter (University Communications Director),
Steve Linzmeier (Sidelines), J. J. Mosher (Fans, Punt, Pass & Kick),
Jens Gunelson (Photographer). Not picture is
Brenda Bredahl (University Communications Writer/Editor).