By MATT PIKE
While the Kansas CIty Chiefs offense and defense are competing hard to prepare for a new football season, it's little different for the Chiefs special teams unit during their time at Missouri Western State University.
Kicker Harrison Butker, punter Matt Araiza, and long snapper James Winchester all get their work in during the two hour long morning practices, but Araiza admits that the special teams unit does have a little bit more time on their hands than other players.
"Because we have less meetings and less strategy and stuff," Araiza tells reporters following practice on Wednesday.
But despite having more time, there is still some competition within the special teams unit. Earlier in training camp, Araiza, Butker, and Winchester all took in a round of mini golf at St. Joseph's historic Cool Crest Garden Golf.
"It's good to get out and do stuff like that, and as weird as it may sound, I'm a big believer that that stuff helps us," Araiza explains. "We're going out there to compete, we're keeping track of whose winning, comes down to the final hole like two dudes are in contention for whose going to win the day, that's kind of similiar to what we do out here, so yeah we like to do that as much as we can."
As for who the best mini golfer is within the special teams unit, Araiza says it's between two guys at the moment.
"Me and Harrison are tied right now, James has no wins currently, but I'm sure he'll come back strong," Araiza jokes. "He sent us a picture he was getting fitted for a putter so that might help."
You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.