In what had become perhaps the worst kept secret around the National Football League appears now to be a reality as the Kansas City Chiefs have reached a deal with Andy Reid to be their new head coach.
Earlier Friday the last major hurdle in the way of Reid’s arrival was cleared when the team parted ways with General Manager Scott Pioli who had been with the club for four seasons. Pioli who came to Kansas City in 2009 was initially spared his job when the Chiefs fired former Head Coach Romeo Crennel on Monday. Reid, who was let go by the Philadelphia Eagles after 14 seasons on the same day as Crennel’s dismissal reportedly expressed a desire to report directly to CEO Clark Hunt, to whom the new General Manager will also report. Late Friday night attorneys were reviewing the final details of the contract and the Chiefs are expected to make an official announcement in the coming days.
During his time in Philadelphia, Reid led the Eagles to six division titles, five NFC Championship Game appearances (four of them losses) and Super Bowl XXXIX where they lost to the New England Patriots. However, ownership in Philly grew weary of the team’s decline and decided to make the change at the end of this past season.
Reid will be the third head coach for the Cheifs since Herman Edwards was fired at the end of the 2008 season. Todd Haley lasted two and a half seasons before Crennel took over on an interim basis in the middle of the 2011 campaign. Crennel then coached a full season in 2012 with the Chiefs turning in a 2-14 record and failing to win a single game against an opponent from the AFC….both wins were against New Orleans and Carolina from the NFC.
