Andy Reid Jokes About Future as Chiefs HC Amid NFL Retirement Rumors

The Kansas City Chiefs don't have to worry about the 2026 status of at least one figure instrumental in their three straight Super Bowl trips.

"I think I'm coming back, right?" head coach Andy Reid told reporters Monday. "If they'll have me back, I'll come back. You never know in this business, that's a tough one. But I plan on it, yeah."

The Chiefs may be entering a transitional phase.

At best, Kansas City will finish 7-10 and miss the playoffs for the first time since 2014. Star quarterback Patrick Mahomes is recovering from a torn ACL and LCL and could be unavailable to start next season. Longtime tight end Travis Kelce might have played his last game at Arrowhead Stadium.

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Reid will turn 68 in March and his legacy is secured. He has three Super Bowl rings and the fourth-most wins (279) in NFL history. Nobody would blame him for deciding this offseason is a good time to walk away from coaching for good.

The future Hall of Famer might instead relish the challenge of turning the Chiefs into a championship contender again with a new nucleus.

Not that firing Reid is remotely a possibility, but it's also tough to argue Kansas City should start fresh with a new head coach when there isn't a clear successor to take over.

Coaches are no different from players in that they can reach a point where they're not as good as they once were. Bill Belichick's final four years with the New England Patriots is a glaring example of this.

In the case of Reid and the Chiefs, it's too early to make too many judgments on the coaching side when their on-field fortunes in 2025 could merely reflect the difficulty of maintaining a winner when you reach the Super Bowl in five out of six seasons. A downturn is inevitable.

Should Kansas City fail to improve in 2026, then a change on the sideline would warrant more serious consideration.