Tag: Veach

Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes will try to win their fourth Super Bowl championship together on Sunday.

Chiefs GM expects TE Travis Kelce to play in 2025: ‘He was fired up’

Posted on | by Field Level Media

INDIANAPOLIS — About four minutes apart, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach and Kansas City head coach Andy Reid gave slightly different views of where the franchise stands with tight end Travis Kelce. They agreed on one point: There is no deadline for his decision about playing in 2025.

“We did have a chance to talk before they left,” Reid said Tuesday just before the noon hour of the status of Kelce. “That’s up to Travis. At this point, it’s ‘Get out of town. They’ve played a lot of football here. So, step back, then we’ll talk.’”

Kelce was reportedly given a deadline of March 14, one day before an $11.5 million roster bonus is due to trigger in the final year of his contract. But Veach said adamantly, “There is no deadline.”

Veach said he expects Kelce to play after their most recent conversation.

“He was fired up about being here,” Veach said. “He has one more year under contract. We left it at he’d be back and we’re excited to have him back. As far as I’m concerned, there is no deadline.”

Kelce, 35, said earlier this month he was weighing his future in the wake of the Chiefs’ 40-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX. Kelce wound up with four catches for 39 yards.

“I know everybody wants to know whether I’m playing next year and right now, I’m just kicking everything down the road. I’m kicking every can I can down the road. I’m not making any crazy decisions,” Kelce said on his “New Heights” podcast.

A four-time first-team All-Pro and 10-time Pro Bowl choice through 12 NFL seasons, Kelce would carry a $19.8 million cap hit in 2025.

Kelce made 97 receptions for 823 yards in the 2024 regular season, his lowest yardage total since 2014. He posted seven consecutive 1,000-yard years from 2016-22.

–Jeff Reynolds, Field Level Media

Feb 27, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid during the NFL Scouting Combine at Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Chiefs extend deals of Andy Reid, GM, president

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Back-to-back Super Bowl championships and three titles in a five-year span prompted the Kansas City Chiefs to reward their top brass with contract extensions on Monday.

Coach Andy Reid, general manager Brett Veach and club president Mark Donovan received what the club termed as long-term deals, though specifics weren’t announced.

According to NFL.com, Reid got a new pact that runs through 2029 and makes him the league’s highest-paid coach.

“Mark, Brett and Andy have achieved historic success together, and we are thrilled that they will continue in their roles for many years to come,” Chiefs chairman/CEO Clark Hunt said in a statement. “Individually, Mark, Brett and Andy each represent the best in the National Football League at their respective positions, and together, they make up one of the finest leadership teams in all of professional sports.

“They have been tremendous leaders for this organization on and off the field, and we look forward to their continued success in the years ahead.”

Reid, 66, has been on the job since 2013, compiling a 128-51 regular-season record and a 16-7 playoff mark in Kansas City. He has led the Chiefs to the playoffs in all but one of his 11 seasons.

Reid previously was the head coach in Philadelphia from 1999-2012, guiding the Eagles to the Super Bowl after the 2004 season and to four other appearances in the NFC Championship Game.

His overall regular-season record as a head coach is 258-144-1, and he is 26-16 in the postseason. Reid is the active NFL leader in coaching wins, ranking fourth all time behind Don Shula (328), George Halas (318) and Bill Belichick (302). Belichick leads the postseason coaching-wins list with 31, with Reid in second.

Veach, 46, took over as the Chiefs’ GM in 2017 after four years in the team’s front office. He previously was on the Eagles’ staff from 2004-12.

Donovan, 58, also came to Kansas City after a stint in the Eagles’ front office from 2003-09. He became the Chiefs’ president in January 2011.

–Field Level Media

Feb 27, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Kansas City Chiefs General Manager Brett Veach talks to the media at the 2024 NFL Combine at Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Chiefs turn page, tag in play for top free agents

Posted on | by Field Level Media

INDIANAPOLIS — Winning the Super Bowl again put a strain on the Kansas City Chiefs’ front office, but the extra five weeks of football made general manager Brett Veach easy to find.

“They’ve been locked in a room, grinding to get ready for this thing,” head coach Andy Reid said of Veach and the scouting staff cramming for the NFL Scouting Combine, which takes place this week in and around Lucas Oil Stadium.

Reid and Veach opened their separate interview sessions at the event by expressing appreciation for the uniformed officers and public safety officials who sprang into action at the Lombardi Trophy parade in Kansas City three days after the Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas.

The Chiefs quickly shifted from celebrating their Super Bowl LVIII win to keeping the team together.

“We’re chasing that ever-elusive three-peat,” Veach said of the front office focus on 2024.

Headlining free agents include defensive tackle Chris Jones and cornerback L’Jarius Sneed. Jones said during the victory parade that he intends to return.

“He’s at the top of the list,” Veach said of Jones and his scheduled visits with player agents in Indianapolis before prospect workouts begin.

The pecking order might leave the Chiefs shorter on cash to sign Sneed. The shutdown corner was described during Super Bowl media availability as “the reason we can do what we do on defense” by coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.

With the salary cap rising to $255.4 million, there is concern for the Chiefs and other teams about players waiting for the “new market” to be set by contracts early in free agency.

“When you win this much, you’re paying a lot of players a lot of money,” Veach said. “We do have one tag. I anticipate probably using it to keep one of those guys.”

Reid said he’s not sweating the notion of complacency, the buzzword from Patrick Mahomes when the then-reigning MVP and Super Bowl MVP arrived at training camp last summer.

“The margin in this league,” Reid said, closing his thumb to his pointer finger, “is this narrow.”

–Field Level Media

Jan 19, 2020; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt and head coach Andy Reid and Norma Hunt and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) and CBS sportscaster Jim Nantz and tight end Travis Kelce (87) and general manager Brett Veach (left to right) celebrate on stage after the AFC Championship Game against the Tennessee Titans at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Chiefs extend deals of coach Reid, GM Veach

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Kansas City Chiefs announced on Monday that coach Andy Reid and general manager Brett Veach have signed contract extensions with the club.

Terms were not revealed, although The Athletic indicated Reid and Veach each received five-year extensions. Reid’s current contract has two years remaining.

Reid and Veach are being rewarded after building the team that won the Super Bowl last season with a 31-20 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.

Reid, 62, is in his eighth season with the Chiefs. He has an 85-36 regular-season mark and has led Kansas City to the playoffs in six of the past seven seasons.

“Over the last eight seasons here in Kansas City we’ve had the opportunity to witness one of the greatest head coaches of all-time lead our franchise to its first Super Bowl title in 50 years,” Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt said in a news release. “He’s a hall of fame head coach, but more importantly, an outstanding person who has really changed our team culture. I’d like to congratulate Andy and his family on this well-deserved extension. It is our hope that he can finish his legendary career right here in Kansas City.”

Veach is in his eighth season in the organization and fourth as general manager. At age 42, he became the second-youngest NFL general manager to win a Super Bowl.

“Brett has had a remarkable run as our general manager over the past four years, and he certainly deserves this recognition,” Hunt said. “His creativity, along with personal connection to our players and staff, has helped build a championship roster. He has had an impressive start to his career as a GM, and I know he’ll continue his aggressive approach that has consistently improved the talent of the Chiefs.”

Kansas City sports the second-best record (8-1) in the NFL this season. Only the Pittsburgh Steelers (9-0) have a better mark.

Reid ranks sixth on the all-time list in regular-season coaching victories. He stands at 215-129-1 in 22 seasons, the first 14 with the Philadelphia Eagles from 1999-2012.

Reid guided the Eagles to the Super Bowl following the 2004 season but the club lost to the New England Patriots. But his 15-14 postseason record includes last season’s Super Bowl victory, which is just the second in Kansas City history.

“I’d like to thank Clark and the entire Hunt family for their support over the last eight years,” Reid said. “Aside from winning the Super Bowl, one of my favorite moments last season was being able to be a part of bringing the Lamar Hunt Trophy back to the family. I’m grateful for our players, my coaching staff, our support staff and our great fans. My family and I love living in Kansas City, and I look forward to continuing my career here.”

Veach has been lauded for his talent evaluation as well as helping the Chiefs lock up key players such as quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce and defensive tackle Chris Jones with long-term deals.

“I’d like to thank Clark and the entire Hunt family for putting the trust and confidence in me to run our personnel department,” Veach said. “I’m blessed to be surrounded by talented people, including a tremendous staff and a hall of fame head coach. I’m excited and looking forward to continue building upon the foundation we’ve established as a team.”

Veach also spent time in the Eagles organization (2007-12) before coming to Kansas City. He was Reid’s assistant from 2007-09.

–Field Level Media