There is reportedly some thought within the Kansas City Chiefs organization that head coach Andy Reid could retire at the end of the season.
During an appearance Friday on the Zach Gelb Show, ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio reported that "there's reason to believe" the Chiefs have the possibility of Reid retiring "on their radar screen," and they are "bracing" for it to potentially happen:
Zach Gelb @ZachGelbMike Florio says there's reason to believe the possibility of Andy Reid retiring is on the Chiefs radar. <a href="">@CBSSportsRadio</a> <a href="">@ProFootballTalk</a> <a href="">@AudacySports</a> <a href="">
If there is any credence to Florio's report, it is possible Reid could coach the final game of his illustrious career Sunday when the Chiefs go on the road to face the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Divisional Round of the playoffs.
The 65-year-old Reid has been an NFL head coach for 25 consecutive seasons, spending 14 seasons as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles before joining the Chiefs in 2013.
Reid went 130-93-1 in Philly, reaching the NFC Championship Game five times and the Super Bowl once.
A Super Bowl victory eluded Reid with the Eagles, but he finally reached the top of the mountain in Kansas City, winning the Super Bowl in both 2019 and 2022, and reaching the Super Bowl in 2020.
Reid has enjoyed enormous success with the Chiefs, going 128-51 with 10 playoff appearances in 11 seasons. He has also led KC to eight consecutive AFC West titles, and it has reached at least the AFC Championship Game in five straight seasons.
The working relationship between Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes is the biggest reason why the Chiefs have established themselves as a perennial power in the NFL, as Mahomes' installation as the starter in his second season has coincided with the Chiefs' five straight AFC title game appearances.
With Reid guiding the team and calling the offensive plays, Mahomes has already built a Hall of Fame résumé, as he is a six-time Pro Bowler, two-time first-team All-Pro, two-time NFL MVP and two-time Super Bowl MVP.
For as dominant as the Reid-Mahomes combination has been, something was a bit off during the 2023 regular season.
The Chiefs went 11-6, which was their worst record since Mahomes became the starter, and they lost four out of six games from Weeks 11 through 16.
They also didn't have the same explosive offense that they typically do, as they ranked just 15th in scoring with 21.8 points per game.
Tight end Travis Kelce did not look himself for much of the season, as he struggled with drops, and aside from rookie Rashee Rice, no wideouts stepped up and became consistent targets for Mahomes.
It is unclear if the team's offensive struggles are weighing in him and contributing to him potentially considering retirement, but it has been a more frustrating season than Reid and Mahomes have usually endured.
Reid ranks fourth in NFL history with 258 regular-season coaching wins and has two Super Bowl victories, so his place in the Hall of Fame is already assured.
Another Super Bowl win would put Reid in elite company, as only Bill Belichick, Chuck Noll, Bill Walsh and Joe Gibbs have won three or more Super Bowls.
The Chiefs looked more like themselves last week in a 26-7 blowout of the Miami Dolphins in the AFC Wild Card Round, so they enter Sunday with momentum on their side.
Kansas City is 2-0 against the Bills in the playoffs during the Reid-Mahomes era, but Sunday marks the first time the Chiefs will be the road team during their series, and it will be the first true playoff road game of Mahomes' career.
Reid hasn't yet said anything publicly about retirement, but if the Chiefs fall short against the Bills and fail to reach the AFC Championship Game for the first time since 2017, speculation will undoubtedly ramp up.
