Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes ahead of schedule after toe surgery

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said Monday he is ahead of schedule in his rehab after undergoing offseason surgery to repair a turf toe injury.

Mahomes had the procedure days after guiding the Chiefs to a second consecutive Super Bowl appearance, in which they fell to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“Obviously, we’re trying to be cautious and not push me out there too soon, but I’m doing what I can,” Mahomes said. “I’ve gotten out of the boot finally. It took forever. Now I’m trying to get back on the field and get that stuff working.

“I’m sure they’ll keep me along that same pathway and that hopefully I can do some stuff by the end of the offseason.”

Mahomes played through the injury, sustained in the playoffs during Kansas City’s victory over the Cleveland Browns in the divisional round in January.

Mahomes, 25, was the league’s Most Valuable Player in 2018 before his consecutive Super Bowl seasons, including a win over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV. Even so, he believes he can get better as he gets healthier.

“There are so many different things I can improve in my game,” Mahomes said. “Being able to kind of restart and start from injury with the feet, I can really improve my footwork and try to make myself better.

“I’ve dealt with ankle injuries in my career and being able to teach myself how to hit the right spots in my feet, by teaching myself just how to get back from this injury I think will help me out in the long run and something that I can really focus on.”

Chiefs coach Andy Reid added, “He’s got great flexibility in that toe. He worked his tail off, not a real fun thing for him to do with that. It seems like a small thing, but that toe is rather large and stiff before the surgery and after the surgery. He’s really worked hard to get that right.”

Mahomes has a 38-8 career regular-season record as a starter in four NFL seasons, all with the Chiefs. Last year, he completed 66.3 percent of his passes for 4,740 yards with 38 touchdowns and six interceptions. For his career, he has a 66 percent completion rate with 14,152 passing yards, 114 TD passes and 24 interceptions.

Chiefs legend Fred Arbanas dies at 82

Kansas City Chiefs legendary tight end Fred Arbanas has died. He was 82.

The death of Arbanas, who spent more than 40 years as a politician, was announced on Twitter by the Jackson County (Mo.) Democratic Party. The entity said Arbanas died Saturday. No cause of death was provided.

Arbanas was a member of two Kansas City Super Bowl teams — including a winning effort in Super Bowl IV — during his nine seasons (1962-70) with the franchise. He also was a member of the 1962 AFL champion Dallas Texans before the team moved to Kansas City.

Arbanas was an All-AFL selection in each of his first six seasons. He caught 198 passes for 3,101 yards and 34 touchdowns in an era in which tight ends were primarily blockers.

Still, he set career bests of 686 yards and eight touchdowns while matching his career high of 34 catches in 1964. He averaged a stunning 20.2 yards per catch that season.

Arbanas played his final six seasons after being declared legally blind in his left eye.

According to the Kansas City Star, Arbanas and teammate Al Reynolds were approached on the street by a stranger in December 1964. Arbanas offered to shake hands and the stranger slugged Arbanas in his left eye and scurried away.

Arbanas underwent several surgeries and was left with partial vision in the eye.

Arbanas caught two passes for 30 yards when the Chiefs lost 35-10 to the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl I during the 1966 season. He started Super Bowl IV but had no receptions when Kansas City defeated the Minnesota Vikings 23-7 during the 1969 campaign.

Arbanas was named to the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 1973.

Ex-Chiefs assistant Britt Reid charged with felony DWI

Former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid was charged Monday with felony DWI for the February accident that left a 5-year-old girl with life-threatening injuries.

If convicted of the Class D felony, Reid could be sentenced up to seven years in prison.

Reid, 35, is the son of Chiefs head coach Andy Reid. He was expected to turn himself in and be booked later Monday. Prosecutors have requested $100,000 bond and GPS and alcohol monitoring of Reid.

Kansas City prosecutors say Reid had a blood alcohol concentration of .113 from a sample taken two hours after he barreled into a disabled vehicle on I-435. Reid was driving 83.9 miles per hour — in a posted 65 — 1.9 seconds before slamming into the vehicle, per the probable cause statement form.

Reid “operated a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, and acted with criminal negligence by driving at an excessive rate of speed,” Jackson County (Missouri) prosecutors said in the filing.

Ariel Young, 5, was critically injured in the Feb. 4 wreck.

“The Kansas City Chiefs organization remains steadfast in our concern for all who have been impacted by this tragic accident,” the Chiefs said in a statement Monday. “Our prayers are focused on Ariel’s continued healing and recovery. The Chiefs are regularly in contact with the family’s designated representative during this challenging time.”

An attorney for the family of Young said the young girl was released from the hospital and went home on April 2.

“The charge is absolutely appropriate under the circumstances,” attorney Tom Porto said in a statement. “Ariel will have to endure the consequences of this crash for the rest of her life. … As of right now, she still cannot walk or talk and depends on a feeding tube for basic nutrition.”

Reid suffered blunt force trauma to his groin in the accident which required emergency surgery, per the filing.

He was initially placed on administrative leave by the Chiefs before the organization decided against renewing his contract. He’s no longer with the team.

Chiefs get free agent C Austin Blythe on 1-year deal

The Kansas City Chiefs have agreed to terms with free agent center Austin Blythe on a one-year deal, NFL Network and The Athletic reported Tuesday.

Blythe, 28, spent the past four seasons in Los Angeles, starting 48 games for the Rams and missing just one game the past three seasons. Blythe graded out as the eighth-best center in run-blocking this past season, according to Pro Football Focus.

The Chiefs ostensibly are moving on from Austin Reiter, their starting center the past two seasons.

Blythe was a seventh-round pick by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2016 draft. He was claimed off waivers by the Rams in May 2017.