Less conversational this time.
Bottom line up front. From Reid’s first job opportunity, he always plans and prepares and organizes.
I don’t think most people realize how much he tries to take emotions out of his decisions, and how deeply it applies.
So when it looks like he is reluctant to play rookies, it’s just that he has a really high bar for top notch execution of the plays as designed, and it’s just really hard for rookies to reach that bar.
When it looks like he is too loyal to subordinates, it is because he not emotionally doubting his decision to hire someone, and is giving them a chance to succeed in the system and still learn.
He plans everything, and sticks to his decisions, and evaluates at set times, and sticks with that evaluation.
I’m convinced (by watching and picking up little clues in his Bland Coach-speak) that he trusts the analysis he made at the time, and believes that the only way you can actually learn and improve from incorrect decisions is by “keep firing” until you have enough data with good execution that still fails enough to know the assumptions or conclusions were wrong.
I do think Reid has a plan to keep refreshing team talent, and Veach enacts it, with his own decision-making input, of course. I think the plan was Pacheco was good through the end of his rookie contract, and that they had other needs more pressing than backup RB. That was wrong, but fewer injuries and it might not have been.
But injuries did happen, and so the personnel decisions they made for 2025 did turn out to be wrong, but I think they have built in some flexibility each offseason to go in different directions, so whether it was planned for this season or they adjusted the plan, they have invested heavily into the RB room and should be good there for another 4-5 years, even with normal injuries.
So I think although last year was bad, Reid learned, changed, adjusted, and the Chiefs will be better for it and the next few years are going to terrify the NFL again.
If so, it is because Andy Reid coldly and ruthlessly makes a plan and sticks to it until it is clear the plan isn’t working, and until it is clear it is actually the plan at fault and not execution or injury shortfall. Which means he sticks with his plan more than most of us would.
But I think THAT explains some of these legends that have grown up around Reid that I think are false. And I think we’ll get additional evidence of their inaccuracy this season.
As always: We’ll See!