Even though fans hope that Andy Reid will always be the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, all good things must come to an end. Reid is 67 years old and the retirement speculation has been constant, especially once he finally snagged his first-ever Super Bowl victory in 2020.
With the Super Bowl win under his belt, Reid officially became a lock for the Hall of Fame when his time to get inducted comes. He only added to his resume by winning two more Super Bowls and now there's not much else for Reid to coach for.
Even with that being the case, the Chiefs' head coach has made it clear that he doesn't plan to step away anytime soon, with the biggest indicator being the five-year extension he signed last offseason. That contract takes Reid through the 2028 season and at that point, he'll be 71 years old.
It doesn't seem to matter that Reid is under contract for another four years, as people are still going to speculate retirement and debate who will replace him. A recent speculation from Marissa Myers of TWSN will really have Chiefs fans rolling their eyes, as she said Reid's time with the team could end as early as after the 2025 season.
"Reid has solidified his legacy as a head coach, but he is 67 and will be 68 by the 2026 season. As much as Reid loves coaching and the teaching aspect, he will have to start taking his family into consideration and spending more time with them as well. That could just end up being after this 2025 season depending on how it plays out."
Myers' replacement option for Reid is none other than former Raiders head coach Jon Gruden.
"Gruden knows the AFC West too from his time coaching the Raiders, and would overall be able to keep the Chiefs’ recent success consistent due to his experience as a head coach, and knowledge for the game as a whole. Having Reid retire would be a loss for the Chiefs, but Gruden as the replacement would provide the spark needed to keep the moral up for the future."
The idea of Jon Gruden as Andy Reid's eventual replacement shouldn't have legs
First and foremost, in order for Gruden to become the Chiefs' next head coach, Reid has to retire. I know people have been quick to usher Reid out the door but until he makes that decision and officially steps away from the Chiefs and the NFL, I won't believe he's actually doing it. He's got such a great thing going in Kansas City right now and there's no reason to believe the Chiefs can't win at least another Super Bowl or two before he calls it a career.
As for Gruden, let's say Reid did retire after this year. Gruden would be 62 years old when the Chiefs were in a situation to hire a new head coach. Why hire someone only six years younger than Reid? If you're going to find a replacement for a team with Patrick Mahomes, get a younger guy so that he can hopefully stick around for multiple decades if all goes well.
I get the whole 'Let's rush Reid out the door' conversations because people get tired of seeing the same coaches, players, and teams succeed. Now that Reid has three Super Bowl trophies, people are ready to send him off into the retirement sunset and that's why we are still having to dispel these future head coach rumors.
Someday Reid's time with the Chiefs will come to an end but until it does, let's just enjoy the ride, okay?
