While Chargers practice in Colorado, Chiefs prefer routine ahead of high-altitude game
Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid’s reputation for routine and attention to detail is well-known around the league.
Reid embraces an almost military-like structure when it comes to short- and long-term planning and prefers a standardized schedule from week to week.
So it should come as no surprise the Chiefs made no drastic adjustments to their game-week preparations ahead of Monday night’s matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, which sits 7,349 feet above sea level.
“We’re trying to keep it very similar to what we do, without change,” Reid said. “We’re lucky it’s here (in North America); we’re not going to London.
“It’s relatively close to where we don’t have to go an extra day or do that type of thing. We can do our normal flight plans and when we get to the hotel, (we can follow) the normal procedure there.”
Reid’s approach to dealing with the high altitude comes in stark contrast to that of Chargers coach Anthony Lynn, who chose to have his team practice this week at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, which is situated at 7,258 feet above sea level.
The Chargers arrived there Monday afternoon to begin the acclimation process.
“We work them in slowly, and each day, each practice, I’m adding more reps to the drives,” Lynn said Thursday during a teleconference. “I’m not trying to blow them out up front. We’re working them in slowly. First day was just strictly conditioning, weight training, then we went into a practice. Tomorrow (Friday) we’ll increase the reps in each drive. That’s just kind of our approach to it.”
Lynn said his team conducted some sports science research before deciding to practice at the U.S. Air Force Academy. He also found helpful advice from the New England Patriots and L.A. Rams, two teams that utilized the same tactic of working out in Colorado Springs in preparation for recent games in Mexico City.
The Rams-Chiefs game was canceled in 2018 because of poor field conditions, but the institutional knowledge about dealing higher altitudes stuck with the Rams.
“I’ve talked with the Rams, I’ve talked with someone from the Patriots,” Lynn said. “They came here and did the same thing, so that played a role and factored in, as well — just the science behind it.
“I know they say it could take up to 13, 14 days just to get acclimated, but that’s not all people, that’s some people. In my own personal experience, I went from sea level to 74 (thousand feet) one game and I felt the difference. Our guys felt good about coming out here. We’re bonding and having a good time.”
Neither the Chiefs nor Chargers are strangers to playing at a high altitude. Their games against the AFC West rival Broncos are played at Denver’s Empower Field at Mile High, which is 5,280 feet above sea level — though admittedly some 2,000 feet lower than Estadio Azteca.
And like the Chargers, the Chiefs have done some due diligence of their own, starting in 2018 ahead of last season’s canceled game. They’ve mostly stuck to their usual routine with only slight alterations, such as practicing Wednesday without helmets and pads.
“Everybody has their thing that they do,” Reid said. “Right or wrong, I don’t know that. I just know that (head athletic trainer) Rick (Burkholder) and his crew did the research there. We were asked the same thing last year. We feel comfortable again doing it this way.”
Reid’s players are putting their faith in their coach as they prepare mentally and physically for the game in Mexico City.
“A lot of hydration and a lot of sleep,” Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones said. “Those two things play a huge factor in anything.
“We got a lot of good guys in this building that have done their research, starting with Rick Burkholder and Coach Reid, and they’ve done their research on how to prepare for this. I mean, I believe and I’m convinced this is not their first rodeo. And just trust the process on how they want to handle this.”
Chiefs center Austin Reiter agreed.
“We’re going to go there and play the game,” Reiter said. “And if I’m a little more tired, then I’m a little more tired. I’m already used to playing a full 70 or 80 snaps in a game, and we don’t do anything for Denver. … I trust everyone here telling us that we don’t need to do anything different.”
This story was originally published November 15, 2019 at 3:00 PM with the headline "While Chargers practice in Colorado, Chiefs prefer routine ahead of high-altitude game."
