Kansas City Chiefs Part with John Dorsey, Extend Reid
Andy Reid’s tenure with the Chiefs will continue past this season but general manager John Dorsey’s time with the team ended Thursday. David Eulitt/Getty Images
In a surprise move, the Kansas City Chiefs announced Thursday that they had agreed to a contract extension with head coach Andy Reid, while parting ways with four-year general manager John Dorsey.
The decision comes amidst recent controversy about the release of wide receiver Jeremy Maclin who stated in an interview that Dorsey left him a voicemail indicating his release from Kansas City.
“I was upset, I was shocked. Apparently, they had been trying to trade me for two or three months. Which who knows if that’s true or not? I would just think that . . . a guy who is going into his ninth year would know if he’s being shopped or not. It is what it is. I still have respect for Big Red, still have respect for the organization. I’m not going to bad mouth anybody or talk any dirt on anybody. It was an unfortunate situation. They felt like they didn’t want me as a player anymore, so it is what it is.”
Later in a podcast with Kansas City reporter Adam Schefter, Maclin clarified a little more as to what transpired.
“I was on a flight, so clearly [Dorsey] couldn’t get to me, so he left me a voice mail. But the issue is that they released me so late on Friday that I wouldn’t become a free agent until Monday anyways, so I would at least think to have the respect for me enough to have a conversation with me, not really find out through a voice mail. I think that’s where, in my opinion, the problem is.”
While it’s possible that this event contributed to Dorsey’s own firing, details have not been released as to why it happened.
Team owner Clark Hunt said in a statement, “I notified John that we would not be extending his contract beyond the 2017 season, and after consideration, we felt it was in his best interests and the best interests of the team to part ways now.”
The announcement came thirty minutes after the Chiefs announced their extension of Reid’s contract — which forces us to wonder if a power struggle didn’t ensue in the Arrowhead front office.
Earlier in the offseason, the Chiefs lost their No. 2 personnel man, Chris Ballard, to the Indianapolis Colts. Now, the firing of John Dorsey puts their already-thin front office into further question. Since no hint has been made about a possible successor, you have to think Reid will take on a larger role in the organization.
In the meantime, this is what Dorsey had to say of the decision.
“I want to thank Clark, the Hunt family and the Chiefs fans for the opportunity to be a part of Chiefs Kingdom over the last four seasons. I believe this team is well positioned for the future and I wish Coach Reid, the players and the entire organization all the best.”
The slew of recent surprise moves, notably the firings of Maclin and Dorsey, raises serious questions as to the direction of the franchise. If what Dorsey said is true then there shouldn’t be cause for worry. The Chiefs made a huge move trading up for Patrick Mahomes II in the draft. Many believe it signals a shift toward a bolder direction for the team. Maybe the departures of Maclin and Dorsey are just par for that course.
