Andy Reid, Chiefs Agree to New Contract; Reportedly Will Be Highest-Paid HC in NFL
Joseph Zucker@@JosephZucker
Featured Columnist IVApril 23, 2024
Kansas City Chiefs fans don't have to worry about the future of head coach Andy Reid for the time being.
Reid and the team have agreed to an extension, the Chiefs announced Monday.
Tom Pelissero of NFL Network provided details of the contract, noting Reid will be the league's highest-paid coach:
Tom Pelissero @TomPelissero<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chiefs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Chiefs</a> chairman and CEO Clark Hunt told Andy Reid he wanted to make him the NFL's highest-paid coach, and now he is, on a deal that runs through 2029, per sources.<br><br>GM Brett Veach also is under contract through the end of the decade as KC launches its quest for a three-peat. <a href="https://t.co/KDgvFqwl1E">pic.twitter.com/KDgvFqwl1E</a>
Star quarterback Patrick Mahomes was clearly excited about the news:
The Chiefs also announced contract extensions for president Mark Donovan and general manager Brett Veach.
The team did not specify the length of the extensions, but Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said the new contracts would allow Reid, Donovan and Veach to stay with Kansas City "for many years to come."
Some wondered whether 65-year-old Reid might ride off into the sunset in the event Kansas City won Super Bowl LVIII. His 258 regular-season wins are fourth-most all time, and claiming a third title put him in rarefied air. In short, his legacy as a coaching legend is firmly cemented.
But Reid didn't sound like a coach who was close to retirement in the immediate aftermath of the Chiefs' triumph.
CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones also reported before the Super Bowl that Reid "is in line to get a raise almost no matter the outcome of Sunday night's game," assuming he returned to the sideline.
Sportico reported in November that Reid was earning $11.5 million annually, making him the eighth-highest-paid coach in the NFL. The highest-paid coach (Bill Belichick, $25 million) is no longer in the league, but Reid certainly had a case to paid as much if not more than the $18 million salary Sean Payton is collecting.
An even more lucrative contract obviously provided Reid with plenty of reasons to stay on the Kansas City sideline. The opportunity to pull off something never once achieved was undoubtedly enticing as well.
No team has ever won three straight Super Bowls, and the Chiefs have made it clear that's the target for 2024.
Even with all he has achieved to this point, a three-peat might force yet another re-evaluation of Reid's career résumé. If that doesn't make him the greatest coach ever, then it at least bridges the gap on Bill Belichick and whoever else is in the conversation.
All things considered, the offseason worked out pretty nicely for the Chiefs.
Losing cornerback L'Jarius Sneed will hurt, but re-signing defensive lineman Chris Jones was a major boost to their bid for history. On the other side of the ball, wide receiver Marquise Brown will be a big upgrade to the receiving corps if he can stay healthy.
Nobody will be surprised if Reid is holding the Vince Lombardi Trophy once again when the 2024 season concludes.