Andy Reid might as well be coaching on the Kansas City Chiefs sideline in a tweed jacket with elbow patches. We can also assume his office at Arrowhead Stadium features towers of disorganized books, a dead plant in the background, and a coffee mug that hasn't been washed since Tamba Hali was in his prime.
That's because Reid has entered his tenured professor phase.
For all of the talk about walking away from the game, Andy Reid still has plenty in the tank, which has pretty much silenced any ideas about potential retirement in the near future. There's a passion for his players, and a creativity still at work. But when it comes to the public-facing part of the whole gig, Reid has made it clear that he's completely over it.
Reid tells reporters what to ask (and not ask)
In the aftermath of the Chiefs' dominant victory over the New York Jets, Reid took to the podium to answer questions from the media. And in what is becoming a weekly occurrence, his disdain for the entire press part of his job came through loud and clear.
Even in what should have been a festive atmosphere, shortly after the closing minutes of a 23-point win that ended a two-game losing skid, Reid opened his remarks by cutting reporters off before they could even start.
"I'm sure I'll be asked about [Harrison] Butker," he began. "I'll address that as we go throughout the week. I'll look at everything. No need to ask. That'll be the answer that you get. I'm not making any decisions right now today."
For those who missed it, Reid was trying his best to avoid having to respond to queries about the job security of Butker, the Chiefs' long-tenured kicker whose frustrations from long distances have gotten worse in '26. Since 2024, Butker has made 45 percent of field goals from 50 yards or more. Every other NFL kicker is making them at a 69.5 percent clip.
Butker missed two more field goals before halftime—one miss was rendered moot after an offside penalty was called on the Jets—which is why Reid knew the questions would be coming. Apparently, he has the cachet to make that request, because not a single reporter pushed him on it.
Tired of Josh Simmons questions
Perhaps the most irritated that Chiefs Kingdom has seen Reid during press conferences this year is when questions of Josh Simmons' availability were being asked most days of the week.
The Chiefs left tackle came down with a back injury in mid-August and went on to miss the final two preseason games. Reid's early insistence that it was a minor injury became a point of discussion in itself when Simmons missed the first regular season game. By the time the Chiefs entered the bye in Week 5, Simmons had yet to play a single snap despite remaining on the active roster.
Eventually, Simmons returned to practice in a limited capacity, which offered hope that the team's 2025 first-round pick would be able to play. But a bulging disc in his back kept him from making progress and the team placed him on injured reserve, which will keep him out through Week 11 at least.
The will-he-or-won't-he nature of things kept reporters confused and fans frustrated, but Reid played coy most of the time. The Chiefs' communication on the matter always felt indirect and vague, which only brought about more scrutiny. During one update, Reid made his feelings clear on having to face the music.
"I hope this isn’t asked to me every week. I mean, let’s just put this to rest. He’ll take care of that. This isn’t that big of a story."
The Kingsley Suamataia benching
In Week 8 against the Denver Broncos, Reid decided to play Mike Caliendo instead of Kingsley Suamataia at left guard. It was the second such instance for Suamataia, who was also benched in Week 4 against the Las Vegas Raiders. The lineman was healthy for both games.
Reid once again tried to tell reporters what to ask after the Raiders game. "As far as the Kingsley thing goes, before you guys ask, that's between Kingsley and I. We'll figure it out, and down the road, we'll be better as a team for it, and Kingsley will be better for it."
Sam McDowell of the Kansas City Star asked a follow-up question when Reid yielded the floor to reporters and Reid's response says it all. "Yeah, that's between Kingsley and I. I might have stuttered when I said that, but that's what I meant. Kingsley and I will take care of that."
The lack of an explanation for Justin Tucker
Less than two weeks ago, the Chiefs signed Butker's likely replacement: Justin Tucker. Yes, the same Tucker who made less than 75 percent of his field goals back in 2024 and was suspended most of last season (10 games) by the NFL after he was accused of sexual misconduct by 16 massage therapists.
That the Chiefs would even give Tucker a tryout was surprising, but they signed him over two other free-agent kickers and placed him on the practice squad. But when pressed about the signing, Reid wasn't interested in any real explanation as to why the Chiefs would not only use two spots on kickers but why Tucker in particular.
"So he's done his suspension, you know, and taken care of that business there. I'll leave it at that for ya," said Reid in late October. Reid added that he "did his homework", while failing to describe what that homework included. "Listen, I'm not going to get into all that," he said.
Reid's posture isn't helping
To Reid's credit, he's earned the right to proverbially sit back and teach a couple of preferred classes each semester. He's tenured, after all. Three Super Bowl wins. Five championship appearances in six seasons. A Mount Rushmore head coach who will be forever considered among the NFL's all-time head coaching greats. If a man doesn't want to have to answer annoying questions, that's his prerogative.
Also, Reid is hardly the only coach to get prickly when it comes to the whole media side of the job description. Bill Belichick was short with reporters. Mike Ditka would yell at them. Bill Parcells was sarcastic and condescending to them.
But it's also true that Reid is adding to his own misery in the process. The Illuminati approach to information on Josh Simmons only made everyone that much more curious about what was really going on behind the scenes. The cluelessness displayed with the Tucker signing made everyone in the entire organization look tone-deaf or disinterested in how that would go over. Neither is good from an optics standpoint.
Even worse, when Reid tells reporters what to ask or not ask, it only brings more attention to the very subject he's wanting to avoid. It's trying to tell kids not to look in the closet for their Christmas presents. Reid's been at this so long that he should know how it works, and if he offered understanding for the curiosity instead of obstinance, he might find fewer questions after all.
In fairness, some of this should stay guarded. Simmons’ saga has a personal element, and whatever happened with Suamataia is his business first. A coach who won’t air that publicly is doing right by his players. But reporters aren’t wrong to ask about them. A first-round pick missing half a season, a benched starter, and a controversial signing are exactly the subjects that the press is supposed to examine. Reid has more than enough experience to understand that. He’s just reached the point where he doesn’t seem to care.
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