Andy Reid’s possible retirement: Mahomes and Kelce at a crossroads with the Chiefs

As the NFL regular season comes to an end, speculation about Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid’s possible

retirement is rife throughout the league.

There is increasing conjecture on whether or not Reid’s final regular season game will be Sunday’s matchup with the

Chargers, given the difficult and disappointing season the Chiefs are having. Reid has had a distinguished coaching

career.

Rumours of Andy Reid’s retirement are not new.

Mike Florio of Pro Football discussion has added fire to the rumours, speculating that Reid’s retirement discussion

may be more than just idle chatter.

Prior to Super Bowl LVII, Reid was asked if he planned to retire. He told Peter King that he did not see himself

retiring anytime soon.

But as the Chiefs endured a difficult season, the subject has come up again, and it seems more relevant now.

Given that Reid is very close to reaching a major age milestone—66—fans and commentators may naturally question

if he’ll play another season.

Reid hasn’t made any public remarks, which has only made the rumours more intense.

There’s a good chance he’s already made up his mind and is only waiting for the season’s conclusion to confirm it.

Back in July, owner Clark Hunt said he was confident Reid would stay on and that retirement hadn’t even crossed his

mind.

“When I see Andy, he still has a lot of energy and excitement. His focus is solely on the Kansas City Chiefs and his

goal of returning to the postseason and winning another Super Bowl. Hunt remarked, “I think he has as much energy

and passion as I’ve seen in the past ten or more years that he’s been with us.”

The story has changed as the 2023 campaign progressed, and it is seeming more and more likely that Reid will leave

his position as coach.

Chief’s 2023 didn’t go as expected.

It’s reasonable to say that the Chiefs’ regular season hasn’t been easy, as they entered Week 18 with a record of six

losses.

Despite winning the AFC West for eight straight seasons, the team’s play has led many to doubt their place as the

front-runners.

Given the excellent seasons of the Dolphins and Ravens, the Chiefs’ offence has been exposed too often to be the AFC

favourite in the playoffs.

Even public outbursts of irritation on the sidelines and at the podium during post-game conferences have been

sparked by their troubles on the field and their failure to perform to prior standards.

In December, following a dismal loss to the Buffalo Bills, both Andy Reid and star quarterback Patrick Mahomes

found themselves in serious water with the NFL, facing heavy fines for criticising referees.

To make matters worse, speculation about Travis Kelce’s impending retirement has become stronger due to his

increased notoriety outside of football as a result of his romantic relationship with Taylor Swift.

Andy Reid recently mentioned the pains that Kelce was experiencing, highlighting the toll that the game has on

players as they get older.

At 34, with 11 NFL seasons under his belt and a bright future as a professional in Hollywood anticipated, Kelce’s

priorities have changed.

Patrick Mahomes will have to prove that his success is not only due to Reid’s guidance, therefore he needs to start

preparing for the possibility of playing for a new head coach and without his tight end buddy.

NFL fans are keeping a close eye on the Chiefs as they prepare for the Chiefs’ pivotal game against the Chargers and

the approaching postseason, wondering whether this really is the end of an era for the team.