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Andy Reid has spent almost his entire adult life coaching. For more than the past quarter-century, Reid has patrolled the sidelines as an NFL head coach, first guiding the Philadelphia Eagles and now leading the Kansas City Chiefs.
Reid cemented his legacy in Kansas City with three Super Bowl titles, but his age, Patrick Mahomes’ season-ending ACL injury and the uncertainty surrounding Travis Kelce’s future have fueled speculation that he could step away as early as 2026.
Despite those factors — including the Chiefs missing the playoffs for the first time since 2014 — Reid confirmed his plans to return to the sidelines in 2026. “I mean, I think I’ll be back, right?” Reid said jokingly during a call with local reporters Tuesday.
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Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid reacts to a touchdown in the second half against the Chicago Bears at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on August 22, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Jay Biggerstaff/USA TODAY Sports)
“If they want me back, I’ll come back. You never know in this business. It’s a tough one. But I plan on it, yeah.”
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The 67-year-old Reid is used to answering questions about his future in February after the Chiefs play in the Super Bowl, which they had done in each of the past three years. But he’s less familiar with facing those questions in the final days of December, a time when the Chiefs have routinely prepared for a postseason run.
Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid won and held up the Vince Lombardi trophy after winning the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Hard Rock Stadium. Miami Gardens, Florida. (John W. McDonough/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images)
Kansas City is 6-10 as it prepares for its season finale on Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Reid, who reportedly signed a five-year, $100 million extension with the Chiefs in April 2024.
Reid has accumulated 307 victories. He needs 18 to pass George Halas for third on the NFL’s career rushing list behind Belichick and Don Shula. While Reid’s return to the sidelines seems likely, the continuity of the rest of the coaching staff is still less certain. Matt Nagy, in his second stint as the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator, is in the final year of his contract.
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid speaks during a news conference prior to an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (Fernando Llano/AP Photo)
Shortly before Mahomes underwent surgery to address injuries to his left ACL and LCL, Reid expressed confidence in the quarterback’s mindset regarding his rehab approach.
“He’s going to attack it like he does everything else,” Reid said of Mahomes’ upcoming rehab. “There’s been some pretty good quarterbacks that have had the same injury and they’ve done pretty well after they’ve come back. He’s going to get after it and he’s got good people here to rehabilitate him. He’s going to be right on top of it all.
“As long as the surgery goes well, as expected, I would expect a fairly quick recovery for him just because of those factors.”
Kelce faced questions about retirement last season. He sparked more questions about his NFL future after he became less confident about his playing prospects in 2025 following the Chiefs’ loss to the Eagles in February’s Super Bowl.
But a few weeks later, ESPN host Pat McAfee revealed that Kelce sent him a message confirming he would return in 2025, which said, “I’m definitely coming back.”
