The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Chiefs extend Reid, part ways with GM
The Chiefs announced Thursday they had signed their coach Andy Reid to a contract extension, and then revealed less than an hour later that they parted ways with their GM John Dorsey.
KANSAS CITY, MO. » Andy Reid and John Dorsey arrived with the Kansas City Chiefs within weeks of each other, the coach and general manager given the massive undertaking of turning around a 2-14 franchise.
Reid will head into Year 5 by himself.
The Chiefs announced Thursday they had signed their coach to a contract extension, and then revealed less than an hour later that they parted ways with their GM. Those were massive decisions handed down by chairman Clark Hunt in a pair of statements on what is typically a quiet week in the offseason.
“My family and I have been very pleased by the success the franchise has sustained over the last four seasons under Coach Reid,” Hunt said. “He has already established himself as one of the best coaches in the league, and he is well on his way to solidifying a place among the all-time greats.”
It wasn’t just Reid that got the Chiefs on the winning track, though.
Dorsey arrived from Green Bay with a reputation for being a savvy scout, his track record working in the front office of the Packers seemingly impeccable. And over the past four seasons, he managed to turn a roster with a few big names but little depth into one of the strongest in the league.
It still wasn’t enough to keep his job with the Chiefs.
Just like Reid, Dorsey was entering the final year of a five-year contract. But unlike his close friend, he was informed by Hunt that his contract would not be extended. So the two agreed to part ways now rather than wait until next offseason, leaving a significant void in the front office.
Hunt did not say who will handle the GM duties on an interim basis, though Reid juggled coaching and personnel decisions in Philadelphia with varying levels of success.
“This decision, while a difficult one, allows John to pursue other opportunities as we continue our preparations for the upcoming season and the seasons to come,” Hunt said.
Hunt did not say why he thought the organization needed to move in a different direction, nor was he made available to answer questions. But he said in a letter to season ticketholders later Thursday he will conduct a search for a new GM in the coming weeks that includes internal and external candidates.
“I believe that we have a strong foundation in place,” Hunt wrote, “and we will continue to work tirelessly to build on the success we’ve sustained over the last four seasons.”
Carr contract
Raiders quarterback Derek Carr finalized a fiveyear contract extension that will keep him with the team through the 2022 season.
Carr tweeted that an agreement had been reached to add five years to his current rookie deal that expires after this season. The contract will be worth $125 million, according to a person familiar with the deal who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because terms were not released. NFL Network first reported the terms of the contract.
The Raiders are counting on Carr to be the face of the franchise when it moves to Las Vegas for the 2020 season and are paying him that way. The $25 million per year in new money is the richest contract ever in the NFL, beating out the $24.8 million a year Andrew Luck got from Indianapolis.
Both sides had expressed a strong interest in signing a long-term deal with Carr, who was scheduled to enter the final year of his rookie contract. Carr had imposed a deadline of the start of training camp in late July.
Carr has transformed the Raiders from a perennial loser into a contender after being drafted in the second round in 2014. He was part of a stellar draft class led by AP Defensive Player of the Year Khalil Mack and thirdround guard Gabe Jackson, who have been key to Oakland’s turnaround.