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Andy Reid has spent almost his entire adult life as a coach. For more than a quarter century, Reid has patrolled the sidelines as an NFL head coach, first guiding the Philadelphia Eagles and now the Kansas City Chiefs.
Reid cemented his legacy in Kansas City with three Super Bowl titles, but his age, Patrick Mahomes’ ACL injury and uncertainty surrounding Travis Kelce’s future have fueled speculation that he could retire as early as 2026.
Despite these factors – including the Chiefs’ absence from the playoffs for the first time since 2014 – Reid confirmed his intention to return to the bench in 2026. “I mean, I think I’m coming back, right? Reid said jokingly during a call with local reporters Tuesday.
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Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid reacts to a touchdown during the second half against the Chicago Bears at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on August 22, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Jay Biggerstaff/USA TODAY Sports)
“If they get me back, I’ll come back. You never know in this business. It’s a tough job. But I plan to do it, yeah.”
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Reid, 67, is accustomed to answering questions about his future in February, after the Chiefs make the Super Bowl, something they had done each of the past three years. But he’s less accustomed to confronting those questions in the final days of December, a time when the Chiefs are routinely preparing for the playoffs.
Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid is victorious and holds up the Vince Lombardi Trophy after winning the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Hard Rock Stadium. Gardens of Miami, Florida. (John W. McDonough/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images)
Kansas City is 6-10 as it prepares for Sunday’s season finale against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Reid, who reportedly signed a five-year, $100 million extension with the Chiefs in April 2024.
Reid has 307 victories in total. He needs 18 to pass George Halas for third on the NFL career list behind Belichick and Don Shula. Even if Reid’s return to the sidelines seems likely, the continuity of the rest of the technical staff remains less certain. Matt Nagy, who is in his second term as offensive coordinator for the Chiefs, is in the final year of his contract.
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid speaks during a news conference before an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Thursday, September 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
Shortly before Mahomes underwent surgery to repair damage to his left ACL and LCL, Reid expressed confidence in the quarterback’s mindset regarding his approach to rehab.
“He’s going to attack him, like he does everything else,” Reid said of Mahomes’ upcoming rehab. “There’s been some really good quarterbacks that have had the same injury, and they’ve done pretty well after coming back. He’ll take care of it, and he’s got good people here to rehab him. He’ll be on top of it all.
“As long as the surgery goes well, as planned, I would expect a pretty quick recovery for him, just because of those factors.”
Kelce faced questions about retirement last season. He sparked more questions about his NFL future after becoming less definitive about his prospects for playing in 2025 following the Chiefs’ loss to the Eagles in the Super Bowl in February.
But a few weeks later, ESPN host Pat McAfee revealed that Kelce had sent him a message confirming he would return in 2025, which read: “I’ll be back, for sure.”
