NFL insider offers interesting retirement update on Chiefs' Andy Reid

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid noted while speaking with reporters on Tuesday that "today's not the day" he would think about retiring as he prepares to guide his club into this Sunday's Super Bowl LVIII matchup versus the San Francisco 49ers. 

It sounds like at least some people familiar with Reid believe he could ride off into the sunset of retirement if he hoists the Vince Lombardi Trophy for the third time since February 2020. 

"There is an expectation in some corners that he could take a week or two after the season to let things cool off before making anything final," NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated wrote about Reid for a piece published Wednesday.

The latest rumors about Reid possibly retiring ahead of his 66th birthday in March surfaced shortly before the Chiefs defeated the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship on Jan. 28. 

Chiefs chairman/CEO Clark Hunt and quarterback Patrick Mahomes are among those associated with the franchise who have since poured cold water over such stories, and Breer indicated that there's no sign Reid is slowing down. 

"While people who work with Reid haven’t been told anything about that one way or the other, the people I’ve talked to don’t see him walking away after this season," Breer explained. "One mentioned to me that regardless of how early you get to work, or how late you leave, it’s rare that you’ll pull into or out of the Chiefs' parking lot and not see Reid’s car—a sign that his passion for the job hasn’t waned in the least."

Reid enters this weekend fourth on the all-time list with 283 NFL wins (regular season and playoffs combined) earned by a head coach. 

Former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is 15 victories away from setting a record in that category and has repeatedly been mentioned as a possible replacement for Reid if the latter leaves the Chiefs needing to find a coach when other candidates have already accepted jobs elsewhere. 

Belichick turns 72 years old in April, and Hall of Fame head coach Bill Cowher recently suggested that Belichick's age is one reason teams passed on hiring him this winter. 

Belichick presumably will still be available "a week or two after" Super Bowl LVIII assuming Reid takes that long to decide his future beyond Sunday's game.