The Chiefs’ offseason began a little sooner than they had hoped it might after Sunday’s disappointing 27-24 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium.
And offseasons typically bring some level of change to a team’s roster, coaching staff and front office.
One spot the Chiefs won’t need to address is head coach: Andy Reid, 63, has held that position in Kansas City since 2013, and the day after that abrupt defeat against the Bengals in overtime, Reid made it clear he will be back for the 2022 season.
“Yeah, I think so,” he said Monday with a chuckle. “That’s the way I’m looking at it.”
The Chiefs signed Reid to a six-year contract extension in 2020, and he said — perhaps lightheartedly — that he would coach into his 70s after quarterback Patrick Mahomes signed a 10-year extension in 2020.
The Chiefs’ roster? It’s almost certain to change, at least to some extent. They’ll undoubtedly sign new players during free agency and say goodbye to some, too.
The front office has already seen the departure of executive director of player personnel Ryan Poles, hired last week as the Chicago Bears’ new general manager. The coaching staff will also lose linebackers coach Matt House, who takes over as LSU’s defensive coordinator under new head coach Brian Kelly.
As for others on his current coaching staff, Reid understands there could be more departures ahead.
“You don’t know …” he said. “I mean, as the day goes on, we might know. I’m sure there will be other guys that will have opportunities, so it just depends.
“Every year is a little different, but we’ll just see how that goes in the next few days.”
The Chiefs adjusted during the 2021 offseason when running backs coach Deland McCullough took a college job at Indiana. They shifted then-wide receivers coach Greg Lewis to replace McCullough, then promoted Joe Bleymaier from pass game analyst/assistant quarterbacks coach to Lewis’ former spot. They also hired Ken Flajole to replace Britt Reid, who is no longer with the organization, as outside linebackers coach.
Then there’s offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, whom Reid continues to endorse as a head-coach candidate for any number of job openings elsewhere.
“It disappoints me that someone hasn’t hired him, obviously, because he’s so good,” Reid said of Bieniemy last month. “I’m hoping that takes place this year.”
Whether Bieniemy finally lands a head-coaching job after being interviewed multiple times over the past three years remains to be seen, but opportunities remain. As of Monday, the Jacksonville Jaguars, New Orleans Saints, Miami Dolphins, Houston Texans and Minnesota Vikings were all still searching for new head coaches.
“Not all the head coaches are hired in this league, so you don’t know where all that’s going,” Reid said.