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Chiefs’ Andy Reid on Alex Smith and shark attacks, Jamaal Charles’ future, play calling

KC Chiefs coach Andy Reid joined Soren Petro on The Program last Friday. I wasn’t able to catch the entire interview until this morning and took some notes on what Reid had to say. Here we go ....

Is Alex Smith the Chiefs quarterback next year: Yes. Now, he trains over in Hawaii and he goes down and grabs boulders off the bottom of the ocean. So there are sharks in the ocean (laughs) ... if I was a betting man, I would bet he’ll probably be our starting quarterback next year.

On his contract extension: I’m old in this business. I’ve been doing it a couple years. Where other people get caught up in the contracts, I just kind of let it roll. If people want you, they come talk to you. That’s where I’m at. I feel absolutely honored to work here.

Are the Chiefs snake bit with injuries: I never look at it that way. I truly look at the next guy comes in and we roll with it. Dorse and I have made that a motto and we expect that. Our frame of mind is one guy goes the next guy steps up and plays. The reality is you can’t take a ton of hits because you don’t have that many bodies on the team. I was proud of the guys that stepped in and upped their game.

Did the offense underwhelm this year: Could we have done better? Absolutely we could have done better. That’s the nature of this thing here. I’d probably tell you that even if we did win the Super Bowl.

On Andy Reid calling the plays: I still enjoy doing it. I went through a phase where I didn’t do it and when I was in Philadelphia I didn’t like it. One nice thing about being the head coach is you have 51 percent of the vote. I enjoy doing it. We’ve had success. I’m probably my biggest critic and I go back although and try to improve every year and every week for that matter. I feel good about it and I enjoy doing it.

On having two co-offensive coordinators: I enjoyed that. They did a good job. They have a great relationship or that thing doesn’t work and you got guys pulling at each other. They have a great relationship and it was really a good experience. First time I’ve done it that way. I was happy with how it worked out.

On Jamaal Charles’s future: He’s here working, which is awesome. He comes in everyday and busts his tail. We’re talking about a future Hall of Fame player. Hopefully he can come back because you love this guy. You love his heart. If you were a betting man you’d say you’d bet on this guy because I see him every day doing his thing. I’m pulling for him that he can get himself back and play. He wants to do that and he’s a pretty determined guy.

On Tyreek Hill’s touches: I thought we kinda fine tuned that as it went on and did a pretty good job in that area. But can you give him a little more opportunity? Absolutely.

On the lack of sacks this year: You’re gonna add back in Bailey, which is six plus sacks, you’re gonna ad 50, which is 20 plus sacks on a good year, Jaye Howard potentially and then you’ve got Dee Ford who will now have a little more experience on the other side ... and you have Tamba, who is a little bit older. We limited his reps for obvious reasons. Those are the things that excite you as you go forward.

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