Screw retirement, Andy Reid is on track to reach a legendary milestone
What does the future hold for Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid?
As the Chiefs get set to take on the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII, it is a question that has been brought up more than once and will likely persist long into the offseason.
Whispers are swirling that retirement is looming for Big Red, with Jay Glazer, Adam Schefter, and other NFL insiders all suggesting that Reid could be set to call time on his coaching career. But despite the rumors, I can’t see Reid hanging up his headset after the season—regardless of the result against the 49ers.
In fact, I think Reid is far, far more likely to not only continue coaching, but to go on to do something legendary – chase down Don Shula’s record for all-time NFL coaching wins.
Most NFL coaching wins all time (including playoffs)
- Don Shula – 347
- Bill Belichick – 333
- George Halas – 324
- Andy Reid – 283
- Tom Landry – 270
It is a feat that is well and truly in play for Big Red, but exactly how close he is to the record—and how good his chances are of breaking it—has rather flown under the radar.
For years, it was presumed that Bill Belichick would be the one to surpass record Shula’s mark of 347 wins. But after Belichick was dumped as New England’s head coach, and now that he’s missed out on landing any of the eight head coaching vacancies this offseason, he is stranded on 333 wins – 14 shy of Shula – with no obvious path for overtaking him.
That leaves one person in prime position: Andy Reid.
Heading into the Super Bowl, Big Red needs 65 more wins to overtake Shula. Now, while that might sound like a lot, it is incredibly feasible that Reid can get there.
In his 11 years with Kansas City, Reid has averaged 13 wins a season (including the playoffs), meaning it would take him exactly five more seasons to reach the magic number of 348 if he were to stay on that trajectory.
And why wouldn’t he? With Patrick Mahomes at quarter back, both existing super stars and outstanding young players already on the team, an excellent supporting coaching staff and Brett Veach’s proven track record of building rosters loaded with talent, why wouldn’t the Chiefs still be successful?
Even if Reid averaged 10 wins a season—still an entirely achievable possibility—Reid would collect the required 65 wins in under seven seasons. At this point, age might seem like Reid’s biggest obstacle, but it’s also something that isn’t as big a problem as it might seem
Yes, Reid is about to turn 66, and with Belichick and Pete Carroll both moving on, he is now the oldest head coach in the NFL. But the idea of him coaching for another seven seasons is far from unprecedented.
At his current rate of winning, Reid would reach the record in five years and still be younger than Belichick is right now. And if he won 10 games a season for seven years, he would still be the same age Carroll is now when he retired.
With age not an unbreakable barrier and Kansas City’s playing future as bright as any in the league the situation is simple: Shula’s wins record is right there for the taking for Reid. The path to 348 is clear, with almost every factor needed for Reid to get there on his side.
We already know that Reid is bound for the Hall of Fame when he does eventually call it a day, and at this rate, he’ll be arriving in Canton as the NFL’s all-time winningest head coach.
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