Will we ever see Alex Smith, Chiefs quarterbacks coach?
By Matt Conner
![New York Giants v Kansas City Chiefs New York Giants v Kansas City Chiefs](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_8660,h_4871,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/GettyImages/mmsport/130/01j56g8g2d44hc96pk2s.jpg)
Andy Reid, at this point, deserves the benefit of any doubt. Whatever the play call, whatever the roster decision, whoever he wants to hire—the folks around and under him at Arrowhead should simply nod and smile. With three Super Bowl victories in five seasons, Reid deserves at least that much.
So we're not here to tell Big Red what to do by any means. If he likes his staff as is, then more power to him. But given that former Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith is such a favorite of ours and that Smith is hanging with Coach Reid and the Chiefs in training camp today, we've got some ideas.
Look who made it to camp today! pic.twitter.com/aIqYvWOVPd
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) August 13, 2024
Specifically, are we ever going to see Alex Smith, Chiefs quarterbacks coach?
Now, we have no idea if Smith wants to officially get into coaching. We also know Reid's current staff is already filled with young guys apprenticing to move up the organizational food chain and claim such a role. In short, we don't mean to send David Girardi back down the coaching ladder to quality control or anything.
That said... are we ever going to see Alex Smith, Chiefs quarterbacks coach?
The reason we ask is because Smith was all-world in the way he handled things both coming in and out of Kansas City. When tasked with taking over a two-win team, he became a strong leader whose actions did the talking. He was also a strong civic hero and a player who served as a role model on and off the field for so many.
After leading the Chiefs to 50 regular season wins in 5 seasons, Smith never once allowed any animosity to bleed through publicly after the Chiefs upgraded at quarterback. Other franchises have found themselves embroiled debates or ensconced in drama, but both Smith and Mahomes handled things with textbook character and integrity.
For his part, Smith was a true leader for Mahomes as he was not only welcomed into the fold but encouraged along with instruction and support. Here's what Mahomes said after the team's most recent Super Bowl win.
“I’ve always vocally talked but I had to take the next step in my leadership ability of how I showed guys how we work and how I couldn’t let the little stuff slide because we have such great players around me that have done it for so long. I had to teach the culture that we have here, that I learned from Alex Smith and Derrick Johnson,” Mahomes said.
"[Alex] wasn’t there, but he was part of it — I think that’s the biggest thing. He built the culture that I came into. He was the guy that led the team to all these successful seasons and built that winning culture."
Andy Reid framed it well shortly after the transition happened and Smith was traded to Washington. Reid said, "I told Patrick that he could buy [Smith] a castle and it wouldn’t pay for the experience that he was able to have working with Alex and his introduction into the National Football League."
So yeah, a man with that sort of character and a proven record as a leader of men is someone we'd love to see around more often.
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