Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, widely regarded as one of the best, was earning just $12.5 million annually, about half of what Bill Belichick was reportedly making in New England.
This situation needed to improve, and finally, it has. While it’s regrettable that the Chiefs took so long to address Reid’s compensation, it’s better late than never.
During this process, the Chiefs were also preparing for the possibility of Reid retiring after the 2023 season. Although he didn’t retire, the Chiefs were readying themselves for that scenario.
Behind the scenes, there was no indication from the Chiefs or Reid’s camp that they weren’t considering the possibility of his retirement.
While publicly, everyone said what they had to say, privately, the Chiefs were indeed planning for Reid’s potential retirement.
Without a significant pay raise, retirement might have been a consideration for Reid. Perhaps he or his agent hinted at it as an option without a new contract. Without the right compensation, why continue working for half of what someone like Belichick was earning?
Unlike player contracts, there’s no salary cap for coaches. Reid could have hypothetically taken a page out of Sean Payton’s playbook, taking a year off and then negotiating a higher salary, perhaps with a different team.
Whatever discussions occurred behind closed doors, Reid got the compensation he deserved. If raising the possibility of his retirement helped expedite the process, then it served its purpose because it led to a successful outcome.
