qq BREAKING UPDATE: Chiefs legend and Hall of Famer Len Dawson has come to the defense of Andy Reid following Kansas City’s worst season in more than a decade, emphasizing that “one bad year doesn’t erase three Super Bowls.” Dawson pointed to injuries — not coaching — as the key factor behind the team’s disappointing 6–11 campaign. Notably, Isiah Pacheco has also weighed in on the situation, and his remarks are prompting fans to rethink what really went wrong in Kansas City…
KANSAS CITY — As the Kansas City Chiefs closed out the 2025–26 season with a disappointing 6–11 record and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2014, questions quickly surfaced about the future of head coach Andy Reid. But according to Len Dawson, the Hall of Fame quarterback and the most iconic figure in franchise history, those doubts are misplaced.
“Andy Reid is still one of the greatest coaches in NFL history,” Dawson said in an interview with local media. “One bad season doesn’t erase everything he’s built in Kansas City.”
Dawson’s defense of Reid is backed by history. Since Reid arrived in 2013, the Chiefs have won three Super Bowl championships, appeared in five Super Bowls in six seasons, and established a modern dynasty few franchises can rival.
Still, this season felt different. Almost everything that could go wrong did.
The Injury Storm
The most devastating blow came in Week 15, when Patrick Mahomes suffered a torn ACL and LCL against the Los Angeles Chargers. The three-time Super Bowl champion quarterback—developed under Reid into one of the greatest players of all time—was forced to undergo surgery and miss the remainder of the season.
“When you lose the best quarterback in the world, any team is going to struggle,” Dawson explained. “But it wasn’t just Patrick. Too many key pieces went down.”
The Chiefs endured a wave of setbacks. Wide receiver Rashee Rice was suspended for six games due to off-field issues. Offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor battled inconsistency throughout the year. Running back Isiah Pacheco failed to find his usual form. Even the defense, long considered the team’s backbone, declined noticeably.
“This wasn’t a failure of coaching or preparation,” Dawson emphasized. “This was bad luck. When you lose that many core players, even Bill Belichick or Vince Lombardi would have trouble winning.”
The Numbers Tell the Story
The contrast from the previous season makes the collapse even more striking. In 2024, the Chiefs went 15–2, earned the AFC’s No. 1 seed, and won all 10 of their one-score games.
In 2025, they again played 10 one-score games—but won just one, the worst mark in the NFL. That kind of swing reflects fortune, not coaching competence.
“Luck tends to even out over time,” Dawson said. “The Chiefs had a couple of years where everything went their way. This year, it all flipped. But Andy Reid didn’t suddenly forget how to coach.”
Looking Ahead to 2026
Reid, now 67, has confirmed he plans to return in 2026, and Dawson believes stability is exactly what the franchise needs.
“Change for the sake of change would be a mistake,” Dawson said. “Mahomes will be healthy again. They have a high draft pick. They can create cap space. This team isn’t far away.”
With the ninth overall pick—their highest since selecting Mahomes in 2017—and the ability to free up more than $60 million in cap space through restructuring, the Chiefs have the tools for a quick turnaround.
“Andy Reid has over 300 career wins,” Dawson reminded. “He’s fourth all-time. He’s the only coach to win 100 games with two different franchises. One bad season doesn’t define a Hall of Fame coach.”
As the Chiefs enter a critical offseason, the message from a franchise legend is clear: trust Andy Reid.
“2026 will be a redemption story,” Dawson concluded. “And there’s no one better than Andy Reid to lead it.”
