Something was not right in this scenario. Andy Reid, the renowned coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, was earning only $12.5 million per year, which was approximately half of what his counterpart Bill Belichick was making in New England. This needed to change and finally, it has. Despite it taking longer than expected for the Chiefs to address the issue, it is better late than never.
Behind the scenes, the Chiefs were preparing for the possibility that Reid would retire after the 2023 season. Even though Reid did not retire and the Chiefs did not anticipate it, they took the possibility seriously enough to make preparations for it. The reality is that discussions were underway about Reid’s retirement before a new contract was negotiated.
Contract negotiations and disclosures are not always public knowledge. However, privately, the Chiefs were considering the potential retirement of Reid. Perhaps without a significant salary increase, Reid might have considered retiring. Maybe he or his agent hinted at retirement as an option without a new deal on the table. Without a salary cap for coaches, Reid could have followed in Sean Payton’s footsteps and taken a year off before negotiating his desired salary.
Despite all of these discussions and negotiations happening behind closed doors, they ultimately led to Reid getting the compensation he deserved. If creating the possibility of life without Reid was necessary to make the deal happen, then it was a successful strategy. In conclusion, proper negotiations and strategic planning are crucial in professional sports when trying to ensure that coaches receive fair compensation for their hard work and dedication.