NFL Insider Tom Pelissero confirmed on Monday that, upon signing the extension, Andy Reid has become the highest-paid coach in the league. The 66-year-old coaching mastermind will work alongside Patrick Mahomes and Co. until 2029. Remarkably, the five-year deal with the Chiefs also addressed the speculations surrounding his retirement from the league. With Andy not retiring just yet, the Chiefs got a big boost for their Super Bowl hopes and three-peat target.
What led to the Los Angeles-born Reid becoming the highest-paid NFL HC? According to Pelissero, Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt once told Reid that he’d make him the highest-paid head coach when the time came. After three Super Bowl wins in the timeframe of just 5 years, it’s safe to say that the time has indeed arrived. It is also noteworthy that Reid had the support of the entire Chiefs team, especially Patrick Mahomes.
However, the team has not yet specified the contract amount, and it is now speculated that the HC received a contract that gives him an annual salary between $18 million and $20 million. This is because the previous highest-paid active HC, Sean Payton, used to receive $18 million every year, as per the Broncos Wire.
Interestingly, Reid was an underpaid head coach, with a salary of $11.5 million before the extension. This is also the case with most of the coaches, as statistically, they receive a lower salary in the NFL when compared to quarterbacks or other skill players. For instance, the average salary for a head man in the NFL and college football is around $8 million, as per Sportico, which is unfortunately an inferior figure.
Top-Paid Head Coaches in the NFL: Andy Reid, Bill Belichick and More
While Reid could not overtake the NFL’s highest-paid coach Bill Belichick’s $25 million annual payout, the Chiefs HC certainly aims to improve his tally of 258 regular season wins to help the Chiefs achieve a three-peat. Meanwhile, Bill’s absence in the 2024 season also elevated Andy Reid to becoming the highest-paid head coach and also the best head coach (in terms of statistics) in the league.
Additionally, two other highly paid coaches, Sean Payton and Jim Harbaugh, are reportedly set to receive an annual salary of $18 million and $16 million, respectively. Reacting to the extension, Andy Reid expressed immense gratitude to the Chiefs’ Kingdom.
“There have been so many people that have contributed to our success and Super Bowls, and I’m grateful to the players, coaches, and staff who have all invested their time into this process. Chiefs Kingdom is a special place and I’m blessed to have the opportunity to be here,” Reid said, as per Chiefs.com, as he placed his trust on his team to repeat their Super Bowl success.
As a matter of fact, all three highest-paid head coaches — Andy Reid, Jim Harbaugh, and Sean Payton are now in the same division. It makes the AFC West the division to watch out for in 2024. With no other major extensions scheduled in the next 2 years, coach Reid will probably continue to be the highest-paid coaching official till 2026, leading his division. Unless, of course, Bill Belichick secures a lucrative deal in the next cycle.
