For the first time in 11 years, the Kansas City Chiefs have started a season 7-0. The Chiefs — the champs — are the NFL‘s sole unbeaten team through eight weeks, as momentum continues to gather toward a historic Super Bowl three-peat, the likes of which has never been seen in league history.
The Chiefs have been aggressive in the days leading up to the NFL trade deadline, as general manager Brett Veach has pulled off deals for former All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins and coveted edge rusher Josh Uche. As Kansas City motors toward the playoffs and a ninth consecutive AFC West division title — with a third successive Super Bowl at the end of the tunnel — speculation is starting to swirl as to whether the momentous achievement will bring an end to Andy Reid‘s “cycle” as the Chiefs’ head coach.
Clark Hunt keeps getting asked about Reid’s retirement
Reid, who has been in charge since that fateful 2013 season, is the NFL’s oldest active head coach at 66 years old. As such, Chiefs owner Clark Hunt has revealed that he is thinking about when or how to replace Reid — who, it should be noted, has not expressed any interest in stepping aside.
“(Reid) certainly seems rejuvenated, I would say, by the success of the team in the last few years and having one of the most special quarterbacks of all time,” Hunt told ESPN. “I have no sense that he has any interest in retiring any time soon, which is fantastic. But I think any leader needs to be thinking about succession. … Eventually that day will come.”
Reid has a long-term contract with the Chiefs that runs through the 2029 season; his star quarterback Patrick Mahomes is linked to the franchise through 2031 . While the NFL is unpredictable and teams’ plans can change on a dime, Kansas City years ago identified Reid, Mahomes, and Travis Kelce as their franchise pillars and keys to championship-level success. So it has proven; Kansas City has won the Super Bowl three times since Mahomes became a starter in 2018.
So as agents and media members try to “forecast” and predict the future, it seems that for the Chiefs, all roads run through Reid — who is Kansas City’s all-time leader in wins and finds himself 64 victories behind the late Don Shula for the most regular-season wins in NFL history.
