Nagy Addresses Chiefs’ Run Game, Jawaan Taylor Ahead of Eagles Showdown

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy spoke from the podium at team headquarters before Thursday’s practice. The Chiefs are hosting the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday (3:25 p.m. CT, FOX/WDAF Channel 4, 96.5 The Fan).

To view his comments, watch below.

On what happened on the collision between Travis Kelce and Xavier Worthy:

“Yeah, I think Trav kind of talked a little bit about it. It's just one of those unfortunate situations where you have one guy going a little bit higher than the other guy. And when you’re running some of these crossing routes and mesh routes, sometimes when you have a guy pressing you or as you're trying to work your release, that can happen. It probably happens more than you think.

“So, it's one of those deals. It's unfortunate how it happened with our own guy. Kelce feels terrible and felt terrible. But Xavier, of all people, understands that things happen and that happened in that game. And what we got to do is be able to move on from that and adapt to it, adjust to that whole situation. So, these guys have been great. It took us probably a series or two, to be honest with you and realistic, in the game, to get through that, of how it happened and when it happened, but that's a part of life.

“It's all about adapting. So, I feel like the guys did adapt and adjust better. And so, that's what happened on that route.”

[US, Mexico & Canada customers only] Sep 5, 2025; Sao Paulo, BRAZIL; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) before a game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Corinthians Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amanda Perobelli/Reuters via Imagn Images | Amanda Perobelli/Reuters via Imagn Images

On whether the Chiefs, after losing Worthy, needed to make personnel adjustments or game-plan adjustments:

“Probably a little bit of both. Adapting-wise, there's some of that initial, ‘Okay, Xavier has been a big part of this with the stuff, training camp and practice, etc.’ So now you are, when you practice, you have so many reps, and you're getting reps with those guys, and now you got to adjust.

“And no one's feeling sorry for us. We're certainly not, either. And you got to be the next guy up and be able to adjust in that moment and stick to the details that we talked to all week. And again, I think probably for a series, maybe a series and-a-half, that didn't happen with all of us, and that's what we got to get better with. Eventually they got better. And I'm proud of the guys for rallying in that moment. I thought they did a much better job.”

On how they can better establish the running game so Patrick Mahomes isn’t the leading rusher:

“Well, the simple, obvious answer is being able to be better when we run it, whether it's the scheme or the execution, you tie it together. And then, it's a credit to their defense. They did a good job and some of the stuff that they wanted to do. But really, in football in general, the more balanced you are, and especially when you look at a team like Philadelphia, it's always going to help.

“But if we're throwing the ball well, we'll stick with it. If we're running it well, and then there's that balance of mixing the two. But you're right. We want to be able to be more balanced when we can, but we also want to continue to just trust each other and use what's best in that game.”

On the performance of left guard Kingsley Suamataia and left tackle Josh Simmons:

“I thought they did a good job. There was a couple plays here, there, where you'd like to get back, whether it's communication or whether it's just something that the defense did. But again, a few things here, there, which I think was probably expected. You just didn't want it to be a game-changer. There's some that maybe prevented us, just with timing, of maybe being a little bit more accurate with a throw. Again, that's part of life when you have some newer guys on that side. So, these guys are going to keep growing. But I'm proud of the guys.”

On the play of right tackle Jawaan Taylor:

“Well, speaking to the obvious, the penalties, that can't happen. And so that's where we're at. We've made it loud and clear. Jawaan knows that. He understands it. It's something that, especially in a moment like that, in that game when things are a little bit off kilter now with the personnel, and you start to move the ball, you have a couple positive plays, and then boom, a penalty or a second.

“So, three penalties and a hold, not good enough. He knows that and there's no one hiding from it. He's not hiding from it. He understands what's expected, and I think he's ready for that challenge here, as we go.”

On what tells him that Tyquan Thornton is ready for a more prominent role:

“What tells me he's ready is what he's done in training camp. The whole entire time he's been ready. So, for the guys that we have in that room right now, I said it in training camp, the depth that we have from top to bottom is one of the best I've ever been around. From top to bottom, one through six, with all the guys, when they're there. It starts to get depleted a little bit with the injuries and other stuff that's going on.

“But that said, we have guys. They're on the roster for a reason, and they've done a great job. And so now they get their opportunity to show who they are. And I think the biggest thing is the trust. We got to keep working that trust, and then when you get an opportunity, you make a play. Tyquan did that on that one corner route. You know, he made a great play with the ball in the air.”

Aug 22, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Chicago Bears cornerback Tre Flowers (37) breaks up a pass intended for Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyquan Thornton (2)during the first half of the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

On Jawaan Taylor’s quick step back, getting called for false starts by some officiating crews and not called by others:

“Well, the inconsistency part with the referees is probably subjective, with how they do that. But what matters is, whoever that ref is that game, whatever they're calling, we got to adjust to them. That's our job as coaches, to let the players know, and then, as a player, it's your job to not do it. If they call it one time, second time can't happen. It's as simple as that, like it's got to stop.”

On appreciating the physical plays Patrick Mahomes makes to spark the team, balancing that with wanting to protect him from injury:

“It's a great question, because, yeah, it's who he is. His natural leadership is at the top, who he is. He's a fiery competitor. And again, in that moment, I'm talking about the game last week, for a series or series and-a-half, it was probably not where we wanted to be. I can tell you it wasn't.

“And so, as coaches, as players, you should just internally always have that drive and that passion so whatever happens, you move forward. And so, I don't I love what he did. That's who he is. He made plays. And I thought in that game, when you look back at how he played in some moments, it was pretty special in that time. So, the guys saw that, the players saw, we as coaches saw it. So now, you guys (players) do it, too. And if we do that, it can get really good. But we got to do it earlier. It can't be waiting three series after.”

[US, Mexico & Canada customers only] Sep 5, 2025; Sao Paulo, BRAZIL; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) runs against Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack (52) in the second half during a NFL game at Corinthians Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amanda Perobelli/Reuters via Imagn Images | Amanda Perobelli/Reuters via Imagn Images

On the second-half play in which Kelce appeared to be jogging through a route, and Mahomes speaking to him afterward:

“There's a little feel to that. Shallow crosses get unique. Some you have where you read it, where if it's zone, you'll sit. And if it's man, you'll continue on the run. That's Day 1, 101, in any offense.

“Then you'll have some shallows where you don't have a read, and there might be a little bit of a throttle. And so, there's a feel to it. And so, depending on the coverage and what they do, is going to dictate what you do. So just a little bit off on that one; it's one of those ones that, at times, can be gray. I think internally, we know where things go with that. But I mean, again, to defend both the guys, which is real, is there is in some concepts, there can be some gray.

“I would say that one may have had a little gray, but there's been several times where there's concepts that are gray, where it's worked and we don't talk about it. So that was just one of those ones. Those guys are, they talk about it. We figure it out. And I think we know moving forward internally, what we want.”

On what he wants to see from the offense considering Vic Fangio is on the other side:

“All of that from the very first play, that the energy, the execution is very, very simple. The energy is organic. You can't be fake energy, and it's not going to need to be in this game. Coach Fangio, we all have a ton of respect for what he does. He does what he does, and he's going to have some curve balls and changeups that he throws at you.

“But in the end, it's about playing football fast, and whoever does that better, and I think a fast start, playing fast, being able to be aggressive, mixing all that together, you'll have good results. And so, we're really looking forward to the challenge.”

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