ESPN broadcaster discusses retirement rumors about Chiefs' Andy Reid

Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio and ESPN's Adam Schefter raised eyebrows when they suggested in January that Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid could ride off into the sunset of retirement this winter if his club won Super Bowl LVIII.

Sean McDonough of ESPN attended this past Sunday's AFC Championship Game between the Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens and discussed the Reid situation during an appearance on WEEI's "The Greg Hill Show." 

"There was some talk about (the rumors), not a lot," McDonough explained, as shared by Robert O'Neill of Awful Announcing. "It certainly didn’t come across as imminent, but where there’s smoke, there’s fire, too. I trust Adam Schefter. It wouldn’t surprise me if Andy is considering it; I mean, he’s definitely toward the end of his career. I kinda believe in going out on top, so if he were to win and he was pondering it, I wonder if it might compel him to be more likely to retire and go out with a Super Bowl championship."

Reid turns 66 years old in March, has twice hoisted the Vince Lombardi Trophy since February 2020 and has already cemented his legacy as an all-time great NFL head coach. 

As for who could replace him, former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick seems likely to remain available through at least Feb. 11 and presumably would love to guide a championship-caliber roster considering he's 15 wins away from setting a new NFL record for career victories earned by a head coach (regular season and playoffs combined).

"Whether Bill winds up there or not, wow, that would be a lot," McDonough said about Belichick possibly taking Reid's current job later this month. "I would guess that would not happen, but Schefty’s plugged in, that’s for sure. So, who knows."

It's often said that nobody "wants to be the guy who replaces the guy" who is a franchise legend. Belichick is a six-time Super Bowl champion head coach and, thus, likely wouldn't feel the pressure that would come with filling Reid's shoes as would a young offensive coordinator. 

One thing that seems certain is that whispers linking Belichick with the Chiefs will seemingly hover over the franchise through Super Bowl LVIII regardless of what Reid says about his future before the second Sunday of the month.