KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Jon Gruden is basically a nasty offensive lineman stuck in an old quarterback’s body.

That’s why the former coach probably enjoyed his interview with Chiefs All-Pro guard Trey Smith more than any other sitdown this week at Super Bowl Radio Row.

Gruden, who coached with Andy Reid on Mike Holmgren’s Green Bay Packers staff in the 1990s, was naturally curious about the Chiefs’ mindset knowing they’re not in the Super Bowl for the first time in four years. Smith filled him in.

“We’ve had a really well-established system of success and standard that we’ve had,” Smith told the former Raiders head coach on this week’s edition of Gruden Goes Long. “And obviously we fell short the past couple years. And, you know, I think the exciting part to me is like, man, we can do something about it. We can change it. We turn this around.”

The return of EB

Reid’s most significant move toward changing the Chiefs, so far, was returning Eric Bieniemy as offensive coordinator. Smith played two seasons under Bieniemy (2021-22).

Smith remembers him well, though. But for those like Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy and Josh Simmons, all of whom were in college when Bieniemy last coached for the Chiefs, Smith said his teammates should expect one word when they show up to training camp.

“Intensity,” Smith told Gruden. “Every single day you step on that field, Coach EB is gonna bring it. And he’s gonna get the best out you as a player, but also in terms of a person, man, he cares about his players. And that’s the cool part about it. He’s going to push you on that field. He’s going to make you strain.

“He talks all the time, finish. I can hear him screaming, ‘Finish.’ And on every play, I know what level of intensity he’s going to bring. And I’m fired up, man, just get back to work.”

Smith, who enters his sixth NFL season and his second after signing a four-year, $94 million contract extension in July, embodies every bit of that intensity. Reid isn’t the only one excited to get back at practice and erase the memories of a 6-11 season.

“The best part about is,” Smith explained for Gruden, “as a competitor, this offseason, what can I do better? How can I be healthier? How can I show up every game and be the best version of myself so his organization, this team can be the best they can be?

“It’s like you get a little bit of adversity, man, it exposes who you are. And for me, I’m excited about the opportunity to go back on that field. I feel like I have something to prove. I know my teammates feel the same way, too.”