Why Andy Reid will be coaching the Chiefs for the ‘foreseeable future’

ANDY REID WAS at a career crossroads in early 2013. He had just completed the most difficult year of his career, starting with the death of his son Garrett – he died of an accidental overdose, according to the Northampton County coroner , Pennsylvania – – during training camp and finishing with the Eagles at 4-12, the worst record of his career.

His 14-year tenure as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles ended with his firing.

Some friends told Reid, then 54, that it might do him good to get away from football for a year to relax and refresh.

Reid said he thought about the idea, but never seriously. He kept telling them that he worried more about himself if he didn't have the seven-day-a-week structure that coaching provided.

It was 11 years ago.

The Kansas City Chiefs job he accepted just days after being fired by the Eagles turned out to be better than he dared to dream. Under his leadership, the Chiefs have won two Super Bowls and could win a third Sunday when they face the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium (6:30 p.m. ET, CBS).

Reid is now approaching another intersection. His 25th season as an NFL head coach will end after Super Bowl LVIII and he will turn 66 next month.

The Chiefs, unlike the Eagles 11 years ago, are certainly comfortable with Reid as coach next season and for the foreseeable future. What Reid thinks about this is uncertain. He recently said he hadn't thought about it.

The question at center: Has he changed enough in those 11 years that Reid would be comfortable leaving coaching and the chance to win more Super Bowl championships with Patrick Mahomes at quarterback?

Those close to Reid would be surprised.

“He's in a good place, not just with Pat but with his coaching staff and with the staff,” Kansas City general manager Brett Veach said. “This is the setup he's always wanted. I think he's got a lot of football training ahead of him, and I can see him coaching here in the near future. I think he's got a lot of time left .”

EVERY YEAR BEFORE training camp, Reid takes a vacation. He often goes to a house near the beach in California. Even then, he takes work with him.

He'll dedicate a few hours a day to football, whether watching videos or developing plays for possible inclusion in the playbook.

“I love doing this,” Reid said. “Some people read novels. I watch plays.”

Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub worked with Reid for nearly 20 years in the NFL and in college, including all 11 seasons with the Chiefs. He said he never saw Reid do anything other than mind his work.

“[Football] It's his hobby,” Toub said. “It's all he does. I'm trying to convince Andy to play golf. I'm trying to get him to hunt. He just won't do it. »

Reid has a list of non-football priorities. He's vague about what's on it, although he said things like climbing Mount Everest and going above average at Pebble Beach aren't included.

“There are things you want to do,” Reid said. “I try to nibble them. There's nothing huge. I went to Italy [last summer]. Enjoy your food. I ate from north to south.”

Mahomes thinks it will be a while before Reid focuses full time on his to-do list.

“Other than spending time with his grandkids, he doesn’t do any of that,” Mahomes said. “He loves football and cheeseburgers.”

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REID IS ALREADY the all-time coaching leader wins for two franchises, the only coach who can make that claim. He has coached in 11 conference title games, including the current stretch of six with the Chiefs.

Sunday will be Reid's fifth Super Bowl and fourth with the Chiefs. He is 2-2, with a loss to the Eagles. He is one of 13 head coaches to win at least two Super Bowls and would be one of five to win at least three if the Chiefs beat the 49ers.

Reid would come away with a list of accomplishments that few coaches have matched. But that hasn't always been Reid's main driving force.

That's not to say that Reid's wins and losses are unimportant. He bears losses hard. A longtime friend said he rarely saw Reid more discouraged than after the Chiefs lost to the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC championship game in overtime.

But Reid also enjoys the parts of his job outside of games: teaching and directing, dissecting videos, designing plays, matching the minds of opposing coaches. He begins each week of the season by saying he looks forward to the challenge presented by that week's opponent.

“There's a part of him that gets as much satisfaction from the daily routine, the camaraderie and helping people as he does from winning,” Veach said.

“He is an educator by nature and spends as much time [talking] with people about their wives and children like anyone else. This is a big problem for him. It's like he's not just a coach but a life mentor to so many people, and I think that's rewarding for him in so many ways. Not having that would be a struggle for him because he thrives on positive energy and he thrives on giving back.”

Reid has everything he wanted with the Chiefs: stable, supportive ownership in Clark Hunt; a brilliant general manager in Veach; a roster full of good, young players; and of course Mahomes, a 28-year-old generational talent.

“He loves football so much,” Mahomes said. “Even in the offseason, he texts me, asks me questions, do I like this game or do I like that game? He loves being at the game and being able to enjoy. We're having so much fun. It's not so much the victory. We're having so much fun in the building that I think it would be hard for him to leave.

Reid's departure would shake the Kansas City franchise in many ways. It seems distant now, but Hunt remembers the state of the Chiefs before Reid arrived: five losing records in the previous six seasons as a once-proud franchise struggled to find its way.

With Mahomes at quarterback, the Chiefs are in a much better position. But if Reid leaves, continued success might depend on finding someone who, like Reid, can tie it all together.

It won't be easy, but Hunt said he feels the task is a long way off.

“As I see Andy, he remains incredibly energetic and excited,” Hunt said. “I think he has as much energy and passion as I’ve seen in the 10-plus years he’s been with us.”