NFL
Exclusive: Chiefs’ Andy Reid Won’t Retire Until He Tops NFL Wins List and Surpasses Don Shula
Despite facing challenges such as Patrick Mahomes' injury and roster uncertainty, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid remains determined to become the winningest coach in NFL history. With a burning desire to achieve more victories than anyone else, Reid's coaching allies believe he is far from stepping down, especially with Mahomes as his quarterback. In the quest to surpass Don Shula's record, Reid's focus and dedication remain unwavering.
Super Bowl LVIII - San Francisco 49ers v Kansas City Chiefs by Jamie Squire | Getty Images
The season-ending injury to superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes and an offseason with looming roster questions has done nothing to quench Chiefs head coach Andy Reid’s desire to becoming the winning coaching in NFL history, according to several coaching allies and confidants.
Reid, who turns 68 in March, has dealt with some health issues in the past and experienced significant family tragedy during his Hall of Fame coaching career, but is as focused as ever on stewarding the Chiefs for years to come and has his heart set on winning more games than anyone to ever coach in this league.
Any suggestion that Reid might be stepping aside anytime soon was quickly swept away by a series of men who know him well in the coaching fraternity and remain very close to Reid and his family, and they were steadfast that in no way is he slowing down or considering stepping away in the next few years.
In fact, with three years left on his coaching contract, they believe at least one more contact extension is quite possible for the master tactician.
One Burning Desire
Reid believes Mahomes still has more Lombardi Trophies in him, even coming off a significant knee surgery, and very much wants to be a part of it.
Reid currently has 279 regular-season coaching victories, fourth on the all-time list and could pass Bill Belichick for third place within two years. Don Shula, who last coached in 1995, is the all-time leader at 328 wins, a number in no way lost on Reid, who endured losing a son to overdose when coaching the Eagles and another son sentenced for driving drunk and severely injuring a 5-year-old girl in 2001 while a member of Reid’s coaching staff.
“He isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, I can promise you that,” said one former member of Reid’s staff who remains very close to the legend and is in regular contact with him.
“He wants that record. He knows exactly how close it is. As long as Mahomes is the quarterback, Andy is going to be on the sidelines.”
Another confidant of Reid’s who has known him since Reid was originally hired by Philadelphia in 1999 said: “He feels as energized as ever, you can tell. He’s going to catch Shula. You can take that to the bank. Think about what he’s been through, with his sons, things no parent ever wants to experience, all the sacrifices he’s made to get to this point. His family is fully onboard, trust me. He’s going to pass Shula.”
The Chiefs missed the playoffs this past season for the first time since 2014, his second season in Kansas City. Reid has 307 combined regular-season and playoff wins, 40 behind Shula.
La Canfora has covered over 20 Super Bowls and League Meetings and NFL drafts, building a wide network of sources throughout all aspects of the game. He was an award winning print journalist as well, working at The Detroit Free Press and The Baltimore Sun prior to his first stint at The Washington Post. He has covered sporting events around the world, including two Winter Olympics and all of the 2006 World Cup. He attended his first NFL game in 1978, and would soon kindle what has become a lifelong love and appreciation of the sport. La Canfora is also a professional handicapper, specializing in the NFL, creating a daily sports wagering game show - "Wanna Bet?" He also hosts nationally broadcast NFL radio shows in the US, as well as a daily sports radio show in his hometown of Baltimore, Maryland.