We are officially in the part of the NFL offseason where the minicamps are underway. For Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs, he’s gearing up for, hopefully, another Super Bowl run. However, he has now decided to have the team travel for their training camp.
Reid is not alone in his way of thinking, as the Los Angeles Rams have also decided to travel for camp. The Rams traveled to Maui for minicamp in part for team bonding and to help a community affected by devastating wildfires in 2023. There could be a multitude of reasons as to why teams decide to travel for training camp, but for Reid, he kept his reason very simple.
Andy Reid’s Kansas City Chiefs Join 7 Other NFL Teams Bucking Modern Training Camp Trend
The NFL has undergone significant changes over time. Two practices a day are now a thing of the past. This could be due to a large number of reasons, such as the technological infrastructures teams now build is very hard to move, and different elements of sports science, strength, conditioning, and even rehab that teams have have grown to a point where they’re nowhere near as mobile as they used to be.
The days, by design, are now shorter, and players are less into seeing and hanging out with their teammates for a few weeks at a time. This is why so very few teams go away for training camp now. The number for this summer is eight. The Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills and Dallas Cowboys go an hour-plus away from their home facilities.
The New Orleans Saints will split it up and spend a week in California. The Indianapolis Colts and Arizona Cardinals remain in their respective metro areas but set up their on- and off-field operations far enough away for all the football personnel to relocate out of their offices for about a month.
The other 24 teams decide it’s not worth it to go away for training camp when you’re only practicing once a day. You can’t meet late into the night, and players prefer to go home to their families. You have so many resources at your fingertips simply by staying where you are in this day and age.
#Chiefs Training Camp dates are set for St. Joe, as the 2025 season is around the corner. pic.twitter.com/dk5GFp4XEI
— Starcade Media (@StarcadeMediaKC) June 23, 2025
This all begs the question: Why would Reid, who’s been to the Super Bowl six times in the last seven years, still insist on going? In 12 seasons with Kansas City, Reid has led the Chiefs to 11 postseason appearances, nine consecutive division titles, seven consecutive AFC Championship Games, five Super Bowl appearances (including three consecutive from Super Bowl 57 to 59), and three Super Bowl titles.
Reid will hold his 13th camp as Chiefs coach in St. Joseph, Mo., an hour north of Kansas City, this summer.
However, it’s deeper than just the traveling. Reid always believed that a team going away and isolating itself from the outside world can truly make a difference in the long run.
“Camaraderie,” Reid said via text when asked about it. “Especially in this day and age when people are on phones all day, they have to talk.”
This is a significant reason why teams still go away for training camps. It’s a unique experience for everyone to share, and it can help build stronger team connections. There’s much more merit in doing things the old-school way than a lot of people think. The Chiefs and Rams are a prime example of why it hasn’t hindered their winning.
