Commentary: Chiefs got it right with Reid

Andy Reid as the Kansas City Chiefs head coach sounded like a bad idea to me last week when he was first rumored to be atop the team's wish list.

I didn't like the notion of hiring a guy coming off a lousy 4-12 season in Philadelphia with a team that grossly underachieved and seemed dysfunctional.

Since then, I've come around.

After thinking it over, I came to realize that the Eagles failures the last two years weren't entirely Reid's fault and that he was probably as good of a coach as the Chiefs could get given what else was out there.

Chip Kelly is staying put at Oregon. Nick Saban is staying at Alabama.

John Gruden has expressed no interest in returning to the NFL.

Lovie Smith doesn't fit the profile of an offensive-minded coach that the Chiefs were looking for. And the other coaches that got fired all pale in comparison to Reid.

This was the right hire for the Chiefs, and thankfully, it meant the end of Scott Pioli's time in Kansas City.

Reid restores credibility to a franchise that became a laughing-stock last year and provides hope for a fan base that has grown increasingly angry.

The Chiefs needed a proven winner with a track record of developing a high-powered offense, and they got one with Reid.

His 130 wins with the Eagles over the last 14 seasons are the sixth-most in the NFL during that time.

If Reid can come anywhere close to matching the success he had in Philadelphia—nine playoff appearances, five NFC title game appearances and one Super Bowl appearance—he'll be revered by a town that is starving for a consistent winner.

I'm not sure Reid will win at that level in Kansas City, but I'm also pretty confident he's not going to be a total flop like Romeo Crennel.

Reid is the most accomplished coach the Chiefs have had in a long time. He's not going to accept losing the same way either Crennel or Todd Hailey did.

I think Reid is highly motivated to prove he's still an elite coach and in many ways is re-invigorated by the opportunity to start anew in Kansas City.

Reid will have major say over the new GM, his coaching staff and all of the team's personnel moves as part of Hunt's new organizational infrastructure where the coach and GM are on equal footing.

He also won't have to deal with the same level of fan and media scrutiny that was present in Philadelphia.

Reid was smart to take this job over the Arizona Cardinals job because there are enough pieces in place and the AFC West is bad enough to get good in a hurry.

The main thing that's holding the Chiefs back is the absence of a competent quarterback, and that's sure to be addressed either in the draft or free agency.

Unlike a lot of fans, I don't think the Chiefs necessarily have to take a quarterback with the No. 1 pick.

They just have to take one at some point in the first three or four rounds.

With no Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III in this year's quarterback crop, I'd be good with the Chiefs trading back and acquiring more picks.

In fact, that would probably be the smartest move if the combine reveals that Geno Smith, Matt Barkley and Tyler Wilson aren't worthy of being the No. 1 pick.

All of this will be debated heavily over the next several months.

In the mean time, Chiefs fans can take comfort that the franchise is in a much better place than it was even a week ago.

With Reid at the helm, there's legitimate reason to be hopeful about 2013 and beyond.