The Kansas City Chiefs are neck-deep in the midst of preparations for the conference championship matchup against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night. On Wednesday, the Chiefs got back into practice to install their game plans for the much-anticipated contest. The right to rep the AFC in the Super Bowl is on the line.
As fans wait for the official action, here's all the latest Chiefs news concerning Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid, and the status of Mecole Hardman.
Andy Reid 101
We're not sure if Andy Reid is ever going to get another Coach of the Year Award after more than two decades since his last one. The man has won multiple titles, led the NFL's next great dynasty, and continues to innovate the game of football even as a living legend. But at least there are other award ceremonies that choose to honor him even as the Associated Press falls for the hot new arrival every year.
While the NFL bestows its official coaching award on whichever coach inherited the best team with the softest schedule annually, this year's 101 Awards have announced that Andy Reid will be bringing home the AFC Coach of the Year Award after locking up the top seed in the conference.
The Chiefs went 15-2 in the regular season—and even that second loss was due to sitting the team's starters in the final game of the year against the Denver Broncos—and locked up the ability to play at Arrowhead through the conference championship. They already made it through the Divisional Round and will now play in the AFC Championship against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday evening.
Other winners include Kevin O'Connell for NFC's Coach of the Year, Lamar Jackson for AFC's Offensive POY and Saquon Barkley for the NFC's Offensive POY.
Mecole Hardman sidelined
For those waiting on word about Mecole Hardman's potential return to the active roster, the Chiefs announced some difficult news for the veteran wide receiver and returner on Wednesday. Instead of being activated for the conference championship, the team has made the decision to return him to IR and end his season.
The Chiefs were operating within a 21-day window to evaluate Hardman in practice as the team moved through the postseason. Hardman was dealing with a knee injury that required surgery earlier this year with the hopes of returning this postseason. Now, however, that dream is over.
Hardman's status means that Nikko Remigio is locked in as the primary kickoff returner for the Chiefs and opens up a spot for him going forward in the offense as well as a rarely-used weapon.
As for Hardman, who had 12 catches on 90 yards on offense this season for the Chiefs, he is scheduled to hit free agency at an interesting time. He could easily come back to compete for another season on the Chiefs roster, but it's also possible the team moves on after six seasons in K.C. (with a brief stint in New York in 2023).
Mahomes not ready to lose Kelce
If you ask Travis Kelce, he's not exactly sure what he's going to do after this season in terms of his career. If you ask Patrick Mahomes about Kelce's future, he's not ready to lose him.
Kelce, the Chiefs' All-Pro tight end, has enjoyed a record-setting Hall of Fame career in which he's accumulated every possible accolade and achievement that a player at his position could ever attain. And with his advancing age and off-the-field interests, it makes sense that he would consider leaving the game he's dominated for more than a decade.
In a recent interview with Stephen A. Smith, Kelce spoke openly about his reservations going forward and the considerations he'll make to decide his future. On Wednesday, Mahomes was asked about Kelce's uncertain future and he responded by saying that he hasn't thought about it. "That's stuff you worry about in the offseason," he said, but added that he hoped to see Kelce for "a lot more years."
We're not sure if Kelce has even one more in him, but he's under contract with the Chiefs through 2025 and maybe that will be the compromise between them.