The Kansas City Chiefs were back at practice Monday after opening their preseason with a 20-12 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday. Several young players gave head coach Andy Reid something to like, including rookie running back Emmett Johnson, who rushed for 59 yards on 12 carries, quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, who completed 13 of 19 passes for 98 yards, and safety Jaden Hicks, who finished with seven tackles. Harrison Butker also made all four of his field-goal attempts, including a 59-yarder.
However, the bigger concern was the yellow flags thrown during the game. Kansas City was penalized 12 times, with 10 of those penalties coming from its second- and third-string units. Several wiped out productive plays, including a touchdown run by Johnson, while offensive-line penalties repeatedly put the offense behind schedule. The Chiefs were also flagged for holding, false starts and other infractions that stalled drives throughout the game.
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Reid addressed the issue Monday and pointed to the team’s lack of discipline.
“You’ve got to be more disciplined than that,” Reid said, pointing specifically to the offensive line and its tendency to overshoot blocks. He also emphasized that there is a point when linemen have to let go rather than turn a play into a holding penalty (h/t Charles Goldman of A to Z Sports).
That is particularly notable after Kansas City was charged with 119 penalties in 2025, up from 94 the previous season. The Chiefs averaged seven penalties per game and finished as the seventh most frequently penalized team, a significant departure from their fourth-fewest ranking in 2024.
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The Chiefs now travel to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for their second preseason game on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET, before hosting the Seattle Seahawks on Aug. 28. The regular season begins Sept. 14 against the Denver Broncos at Arrowhead.
