PHOENIX — The bleary-eyed morning-after Super Bowl news conference is mostly a photo opportunity as the Vince Lombardi and Pete Rozelle trophies are handed out to the coach of the winning team and the game’s MVP.
On this occasion, the session allowed Andy Reid to reinforce the idea he’ll be the Chiefs’ head coach next season.
“I know I got asked that a lot, and I wasn’t really expecting to,” said Reid, 64. “I didn’t put much stock into all that. I enjoy what I’m doing, and I’ve got this guy over here who is a pretty good player.”
That guy, Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes, also brought up Reid’s coaching future.
“As long as Andy Reid is coaching us, we’ll always have a chance,” Mahomes said. “I’ll try to keep the big guy around a couple of years at least and we’ll try to be back in this game as many times as possible.”
The topic came up unexpectedly on Sunday before the Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 in Super Bowl LVII.
Fox Sports analyst Jay Glazer reported during a pre-game segment that game Reid told him during a game-day conversation that he has “a decision to make after this game.”
Reid addressed the topic after the game, ending his news conference with this line: “If they’ll have me, I’ll stick around.”
Goodell said Reid is one of the NFL’s top figures and doesn’t expect a retirement party anytime soon.
“Coach Reid has put himself in the highest regard,” Goodell said. “He always was, but now with two Super Bowl victories and (being) a clear future Hall of Famer, hopefully that will be a few years off. What a wonderful job he’s done and it couldn’t happen to a better man.”
Reid became the 14th coach with multiple Super Bowl victories. His Chiefs captured Super Bowl LIV in February 2020. The list is topped by the Patriots’ Bill Belichick with six, Chuck Noll with four for the Steelers and three each by the 49ers Bill Walsh and Washington’s Joe Gibbs.
Reid’s 22 playoff victories are the second most in NFL history to Belichick’s 31.
He just completed his 10th year in Kansas City after spending his first 14 as a head coach with the Eagles, and is the only coach in NFL history to win at least 100 games with two franchises.
In 2020, Reid signed a contract extension that will take him through the 2025 season.
