With Andy Reid at the helm, the Kansas City Chiefs successfully defended their title in Sin City in February — breaking the two-decade-long drought since the Patriots’ 2003-04. The club is also determined to clinch a three-peat, a feat yet to be achieved in league history. And while the Chiefs players were spotted back in Vegas for the second round of the after-party, Reid appeared to have already started his preparation for the upcoming season at the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.
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NFL Network’s James Palmer ran into the Kansas City head man at Indy this week, where the first question he posed — why Reid would attend the Combine when other coaches in the league refrained from doing so this season. He emphasized the significance of this opportunity since it is the very first time he and his team get to engage with these aspiring athletes — and see firsthand if they can handle tricky questions or not. Big Red also clarified that he prefers to see how a player can handle himself in front of the mic rather than have him do workout drills. Since he already has access to the tapes, Reid doesn’t really need to see how they fare on the track.
“It’s the first time that you have a chance to kinda meet the guys. Sitting in front of them, talk to them, see how they handle you. How they handle your coaches,” followed by, “I don’t really care about the workout stuff. We have that all on tape.”
Palmer then asked Andy how he and the Chiefs were able to maintain continuity and if it provided them any advantages in the higher-up lounge. The Chiefs’ head coach asserted that GM Brett Veach is the cornerstone of their recruitment and constantly keeps the line of communication open with the former.
When asked about how his star shot caller, Patrick Mahomes, fared this season and if it paved the way for the upcoming years as well — Reid emphasized that his offensive front struggled to maintain its footing this year. He further noted that the Chiefs, from the No. 1 offensive front, became one of the bottom dwellers. He aspires to change this and tackle the issues like — dropped balls and penalties.
Reid also feels that Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice made significant improvement this season, helping the offense reach great heights. Moreover, he feels that Mahomes is the cornerstone of it all, as he kept patience and maintained a positive attitude, and the players were more than happy to follow.
Andy Reid Comments on Contract Extension
James Palmer knew very well that Big Red was no way going to talk about his contract; therefore, he asked if he was about to sign an extension instead. Reid, who is expected to be making more than $15 million annually, with an extension waiting that would be even more lucrative, said that he is set to ink that extension very soon.
“Very quickly, I’m sure,” He said. “I appreciate Kansas City. We love it there. I love the organization.“
The Kansas City playmaker was also very thankful for the three guys — Clark Hunt, Mark Donovan, and Brett Veach — and noted that Clark always let him and his peers express themselves, creating an environment that he finds wholesome and respected.
