Chiefs Announce Coach’s Surprise Retirement Ahead of 2025 Season

Though the Kansas City Chiefs fell just short in their bid to become the first team in NFL history to three-peat as Super Bowl champions, they’re bringing back the core of last year’s AFC championship team for another run at a title in 2025.

Guard Joe Thuney, defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton, defensive back Justin Reid, and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins are the only real significant losses from a season ago, and the Chiefs were fortunate to get through the bulk of the offseason with minimal roster turnover.

And while the core of the 2024 team is still intact, the coaching staff took a small hit on Wednesday when one of head coach Andy Reid’s assistants suddenly retired days before mandatory minicamp.

The Chiefs announced on X that assistant special teams coach Andy Hill, who had been a part of Reid’s staff since 2020, was retiring after a five-season run that included four Super Bowl appearances and two Super Bowl championships.

Hill gave the team a shoutout on social media on Thursday morning.

“Thank you @Chiefs – Coach Andy Reid and Dave Toub and the wonderful coaches and players that I was honored to be a small part of such a class organization-Top to bottom the best in the NFL! Our family says THANK YOU! 🙏” Hill replied on X.

Just a few hours after news of Hill’s retirement, the Chiefs had already filled his position.

“With Andy Hill’s retirement, Porter Ellett has moved to assistant special teams coach for Dave Toub,” Matt Derrick of Chiefs Digest reported. “Mark DeLeone, former linebackers coach for the Chiefs, returns to KC and takes over Ellett’s old role as assistant RB coach.”

Kansas City had a 66-18 record during Hill’s time with the team, and its special teams unit ranked sixth in net punting (44.7), eighth in punt return yardage (307),10th in average yards per punt (48.8), and 12th in field goal percentage (86.5) last season under Hill and special teams coordinator Dave Toub’s guidance.

Prior to his stint with the Chiefs, Hill spent 24 seasons as an assistant coach with the Missouri Tigers, and 19 of them were spent working under College Football Hall of Famer Gary Pinkel.

During his time with the Tigers, Hill wore many hats, including working as quarterbacks coach, wide receivers coach, associate head coach and special teams coordinator.

While working with Pinkel, Hill helped win consecutive SEC East titles, five SEC division titles and six bowl wins — Cotton (twice), Independence (twice), Citrus and Alamo.