One notable NFL insider believes the Kansas City Chiefs are “bracing” for the possibility that head coach Andy Reid walks away from the sport after this season, which would quickly create a chase for the most coveted job in the league.
On Sunday night, the Chiefs will look to take another step closer to repeating as Super Bowl champions when they head into Buffalo to face the Bills in the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs. The matchup is seen as the marquee game of the weekend as the teams play each other for the third straight year in the postseason.
Related: Extreme cold forced 15 Kansas City Chiefs fans to hospital during win over Miami Dolphins
However, win or lose a great change could come to the organization after this season. During a Thursday appearance on the “Zach Gelb Show,” Pro Football Talk NFL insider Mike Florio claimed that Kansas City is internally preparing itself for the possibility that Andy Reid could retire after this season.
Are the Kansas City Chiefs preparing for Andy Reid’s retirement in the next few weeks?
“He has said he’s not thinking about [retiring] and I guess the smart aleck would say ‘there’s nothing to think about if you’ve already decided you’re going to do it.’ But I think there’s reason to believe the Chiefs have the possibility on their radar,” Florio said.
Related: Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator candidates
“A lot of times a guy keeps his mouth shut until it’s all said and done. He doesn’t want to be the story. … Ever since I caught wind of the possibility that the Chiefs are bracing for Reid leaving; I’m not saying he’s leaving, but I think there’s reason to believe the Chiefs have it on their radar.”
Reid is finishing up his 25th straight season as an NFL head coach and in the leadup to the Chiefs Super Bowl game against the Cincinnati Bengals last year, there was a great deal of speculation that the 65-year-old was seriously contemplating retirement.
With Patrick Mahomes still in his 20s and having won two MVP awards, along with a pretty good defense, Florio and Gelb speculated on how the head coach opening would quickly surpass any of the other jobs available right now.
Related: Kansas City Chiefs draft picks 2024
“So if you’re Mike Vrabel — who played for the Chiefs in his final two years — if you’re Bill Belichick, if you’re Jim Harbaugh, if you’re one of these great coaches with options you kind of want to play it out,” said Florido. “And maybe on some level you’re kind of hoping they lose sooner than later because you don’t want to ride this out to February 11.”
Seattle Seahawks great Pete Carroll is another one of the many talented and experienced head coaches that are available on the market right now.