The Story of Hiring Andy Reid

In early January 2013, the Kansas City Chiefs and Andy Reid found each other at pivotal moments. The Chiefs were a broken franchise after a 2–14 season, shaken not only by losses but by tragedy within the organization. Reid had just been dismissed after 14 years with the Philadelphia Eagles and was grappling with both a losing season and the death of his son.

For both sides, the question was the same: what would come next?

Clark Hunt, the Chiefs’ chairman, reached out directly to Reid just days after his departure from Philadelphia. Hunt wanted to restore credibility and stability in Kansas City. Reid wanted assurance that his next step would be grounded in support and vision, not a quick fix.

On January 2, 2013, they gathered in a small conference room at Philadelphia International Airport. The interview was to last a few hours before Reid was scheduled to fly to the west coast to meet with the Arizona Cardinals and LA Chargers as part of his next coaching options. What began as a standard interview turned into a nine-hour conversation, wide-ranging and detailed.

Hunt laid out his expectations for the franchise and emphasized his commitment to building toward a championship. Reid, in turn, asked pointed questions about the Chiefs’ structure, priorities, and long-term direction. By the end of the meeting, both men understood they had found common ground, and Reid never boarded the plane that was ready to take him to the west coast.

Within days, Reid flew to Kansas City and was introduced as the next head coach of the Chiefs. His introduction in Kansas City carried symbolic weight—he wore a red tie after years in Eagles green and spoke of finding the “next Len Dawson.” For players, his presence was immediately reassuring.

The results were immediate: an 11–5 turnaround in his first season and a foundation of consistency that has carried through more than a decade. Reid remains the only coach from the 2013 hiring cycle still with his team. What began as an uncertain week for both a coach and a franchise became the start of one of the most successful chapters in Kansas City football history, sealed in an airport meeting that outlasted even a waiting plane.