Andy Reid: "Difficult To Win 3 In A Row"
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid took to the podium to discuss the most recent Super Bowl loss, plans for the offseason, potential draft targets and more.
COMBINE Q&A: KANSAS CITY CHIEFS HC ANDY REID
Coming off a historic three-peat attempt, Kansas City Chiefs head coach and future Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Andy Reid took to the podium in Indianapolis at the NFL Scouting Combine to meet with the assembled national media. Among topics discussed include what makes winning three championships in a row so difficult, the status of star players such as Travis Kelce, Chris Jones and Joe Thuney, plus thoughts on new head coach Pete Carroll and more.
Considering the Super Bowl performance, how will that affect the Chiefs’ plans for the offensive line this offseason?
Yeah, so, we try to look at everything having just finished here a little bit ago, we're going through that whole process, and so we'll try to improve, just in general as a football team. That'll be one of the spots we look at, so for sure.
Thoughts on moving Joe Thuney to left tackle or rotating different players?
Yeah, Joe's a natural guard/center. I mean, that's really what his position was. By the graciousness of his heart, he stepped out and played tackle for us and what a job he did. But I think you move him back inside and he goes back to what he does best.
How has the NIL changed how you evaluate college players?
Yeah, well, in some cases, it's allowed the player to stay in college longer, or at least enticed them to stay in longer. And then the fact that they've moved around into different situations, I don't think necessarily hurts them when they jump to this level, and it gives us a chance maybe to see them in a little different environment and scheme.
How big of a factor is a player’s age relative to mid-20s versus early-20s? Does that matter by position?
Yeah, no, you look at that. You know, I came from BYU, where kids go on missions for a couple years and so people go, well, they're too old. Well, then they come in and they do a pretty good job. So, and really, if you start taking averages of careers, career length, there's maybe a cut-off somewhere but the careers aren't very long as it as it is when the guys go. But we do look at that though, yes, we look at it.
How safe to say the starting left tackle for 2025 is on the roster or are you looking toward the draft?
Yeah, we're keeping everything, everything wide open there as we do this thing and really digging in on what's available, potentially in free agent, what's available in the draft. And it's probably too early to really go there but that's a position that we're looking at for sure.
Any update on Chris Jones and how’s he doing?
Yeah, he's doing good. Yeah, he's doing good. We don't have to play tomorrow but he's doing good
Your biggest takeaway from the Super Bowl?
Yeah, from the Super Bowl? Yeah, it was a bad day to have a bad day, for sure. Like all games, you can learn some things from it. It hurts for a few days and then you move on quickly. So you get about three days into it, you mope around a little bit and then all of a sudden you're onto free agency and you're doing your thing. Players have left the building and taking a little time off, so they curve it back to the next year and we're fortunate to have enough nucleus of good players that will be joining us and giving us an opportunity to have a productive 2025 season and still compete.
What can you learn from the Super Bowl loss?
Well, again, we didn't play very well in certain areas and didn't really coach very well and that starts with me. I'm trying to give the guys an opportunity to be put in the best position. I didn't get that accomplished. And so, you know, you go back and you you figure out the whys of that and then you try to straighten that out and make sure that you can get the guys in the right position to do their thing.
What’s the balance of weighing that game against the 19 games that came before it?
Sure. It is one game and things go, it can go either way in those things. It seems to me that they're either real tight or there's a pretty decent separation. We had things uncharacteristically that we did or put in position to do. And so I give them credit but I weighed the whole season. I'm not just sticking with the one game. That's not how I go. I mean, just the fact that there are a couple ways you can take it but just the fact that you had an opportunity and privilege to play in that game, it was quite an honor and a lot of hard work for our players to get to that point. And maybe that's why nobody's won three in a row. It's a tremendous challenge. But the fact that the guys bared down and were able to get into that position, there's a part of that that I compliment them on.
You were with Howie Roseman, what do you think of the job he has done with the Eagles?
Yeah, I mentioned this before the game during that week down in New Orleans that I think Howie has done a great job. It's very hard to be able to sustain over the years that they have. So, the fact that he's done that and being able to retool and bring in the quality of players that they've done. Hats off to him. He's really, he's done a nice job there and that's not taking anything away from Brett Veach. I'm not saying that. Brett's done a phenomenal job too but he asked me about Howie there.
Why do you keep coming to the Combine every year, what do you get out of it?
Yeah, probably most of all, just having a chance to meet the player. And then there's some things that like baseball that you try to keep consistent, that you like seeing the 40-yard dash on this turf, right? You know, with it marked off the way it's marked off with the timing and the timers that are there. So those type of things that are kind of universal exercise you like to see the guys do to compare. But the biggest thing is just getting them there. The general managers will tell you the physical part of it, that taking the physical is a big part of it. And that's kind of how this whole thing started, getting the guys where they can, one shot you got them all. So that's a positive.
Have you had any conversations with Travis Kelce about his plans?
Yeah, I did, and that's up to Travis. At this point, you get out of town and relax, you know, that's kind of my motto for these guys. They played a lot of games and a lot for a consistent amount of seasons here. And so you get to the end of the thing, you've exhausted yourself mentally and physically, step back and take care of that, then we'll talk. But for right now, I think that's what he's doing and he and I will get together. Now, listen, I had exit meetings with all the guys before they left, so we did have a chance to talk to answer your initial question.
When you’re evaluating players, how much do you consider the scheme/style in which a player played?
Yeah, well, you try to fit that in, for sure but that's all part of trying to bring the best people in that you can for your team. You can't help but try to figure out how the pieces fit in the puzzle there and we'll work together and then inevitably, can complement one another and win games for you.
What do you think of the tush-push play?
Yeah, listen, I understand how it can go both ways. I think it takes certain players to be able to do that and that's not an easy thing for the center. I was close to their center, so I know that's not an easy thing to do and my hat goes off to them for making it as consistent as they are doing it. Now, there are other things you have to look at. You got to look at the injuries that take place, or, you know, whatever the other deals are that they evaluate on it. So I don't have all that information but, I mean, it's a heck of a play, I know that.
How much do you keep communication between quarterback and organization changes?
Yeah, no, you obviously keep communication open if comfortable doing that. With Pat, we're able to talk and try to keep him informed on things. He doesn't have to make the decision, that's not -- he knows all that. He's not in there feeling like he's got to jump up and hire the president of the organization. That's not how he rolls. But for sure, I try to, we try to keep him, Brett and I try to keep him informed on changes that take place.
How do you construct a coaching staff to the specific types of roles?
Yeah, I would tell you, yes, there are a lot more coaches now than when I first started. You didn't have the same number of coaches on a staff. Maybe a little bit like medicine, where you're just specific to this one area. And I think that you're seeing more of that in the coaching world, where it's maybe not tight ends/offensive line that maybe it's not a combination, it's just tight ends. And then you have an assistant offensive line coach most teams have two of them. And defensive lines kind of the same way. Maybe it's the defensive ends and the defensive tackles and you split that up. So secondary is the same way. Yeah, there’s a lot of -- and then you have the worker bees in there, the quality control guys and you can have a number of those guys that are younger guys, that are working their way up through but there are a lot of areas that they can work on, especially the more technologies become available for you.
What makes it necessary in 2025 to have a coaching staff with 20+ coaches?
Yeah, I think the game has grown. I had a chance to break down -- believe it was a 1958 game, first televised game with the Giants and whoever -- and that was to see how simple the game was at that time, number of plays, the quarterbacks calling the plays. I mean, we've progressed from there. And like I said, the more technologies become part of it, they're not a lot of secrets anymore. The more your error margin has got to be tiny-tiny. Sometimes that takes a number of people to do, make sure you cover all the bases.
Addition of Matt House to the defensive coaching staff?
House, that one makes sense, right? Because he had been with us and we thought he was a great coach when he was with us, so we had an opportunity to bring him back here. I lost a couple coaches too, so Donald moved on and hats off to him, because he's a great kid and he's going to be -- he's a great coach now but he's going to be phenomenal as he goes forward. So this gave him a chance to take a step forward. And then Chris Orr, Chris worked with us in training camp. And you know, his brother is a defense coordinator for the Ravens, so he jumps in and we felt great about him when he was with us this summer and we were able to bring him back here. And now he's a young guy that's going to be in a quality control position but he'll do a nice job for us.
Eric Bieniemy went to the Bears as running backs coach, what did he bring to your staff?
Yeah, well, he's a phenomenal football coach, period. I mean, I've stood up here, right here and said he should be a head coach in this league, so I haven't changed on that. But he was a good running back, a great running back coach for us and a great coordinator for us. You asked me about the running back part of it -- I had him as a player and as a coach and he's very demanding on the guys, very thorough but loves them up at the same time. All the guys he touched became the best they could be and maximized their potential when they were under him.
Pete Carroll as coach of the Raiders?
Great football coach and he's got that stability and he's got the record to go with that. So he's going to come in with credibility and I think the players will listen to him, and he's going to bring a heck of a defensive scheme and offensive scheme with him.
What position groups stand out the most at the combine?
Yeah, it looks like the defense is fully loaded here. Yeah. I mean, there are a lot of defensive -- it looks like a defensive strong draft. Not that they're not going to be some great offensive guys, but it really looks like it's strong on the defensive side.
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