AFC Notes: Travis Kelce, Gardner Minshew, Chargers, Chiefs, Raiders

Chargers

• Chargers HC Jim Harbaugh confirmed QB Justin Herbert (ankle) is no longer wearing a walking boot, via Daniel Popper. 

Chiefs

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes said the team has tried to draw up plays to get TE Travis Kelce more consistently involved but teams are making it a point to put an extra guy or two on him at all times.

“Yeah, it’s crazy because teams still — the respect factor they have for Travis is just unreal,” Mahomes said, via PFT. “It’s well-deserved, but we’re calling a lot of plays for Travis, and it’s like two or three people are going to him. So, I mean, he understands. I think that’s the great thing about him is he wants to make an impact on the game, but he wants to win at the end of the day.”

Mahomes said he’s going to try to continue to get the ball to Kelce and believes the weapons the team has around him will help open him up more.

“I’m going to try to do my best to keep feeding him the ball whenever he’s there, whenever he’s open,” Mahomes said. “But I think the more Rashee makes plays, the more we’re able to run the football, the more we can get [Xavier] Worthy involved, that’s going to open Travis up more. I mean, people are really emphasizing trying to take him away and it’s getting other guys open.”

• Chiefs HC Andy Reid doesn’t think Kelce has “lost a step” and feels defenses are paying closer attention to him: “Trav is fine. … He hasn’t lost a step. He’s not distracted. That’s not the case. … (Defenses) are making sure they have him taken care of.” (Sam McDowell)
• The Chiefs recently promoted RB Kareem Hunt from the practice squad to the active roster. He didn’t expect to return to Kansas City after leaving in 2018: “No, I didn’t think I end up back here.” (Nate Taylor)

Raiders

When appearing on SiriusXM’s Let’s Go Podcast, Raiders EDGE Maxx Crosby expressed confidence in Gardner Minshew as their starting quarterback and captain. 

“Gardner’s our guy. We know that,” Crosby said. “Obviously we love Aidan [O’Connell]. Aidan’s a stud. He helped us win a lot of games last year. But Gardner’s our guy. At the end of the day, I just wanna win. Gardner’s our quarterback, he’s our captain, and he has done a hell of a job so far. I mean, it wasn’t perfect, it wasn’t good enough, but it’s across the board. It’s not just Gardner, it’s not just the o-line, or receiver, whoever it is, it’s a collective group effort.”

• Raiders HC Antonio Pierce said any “business decisions” he referred to will remain private and they aren’t panicking following their disastrous Week 3 loss to the Panthers: 
  “There is no panic button,” he said. “We’re not jumping off the plane.” (Vic Tafur)
• Pierce added he has “no issue” with Minshew and still considers him their starting quarterback: “There’s no issue. Gardner Minshew is the quarterback.” (Andrew Siciliano)