Andy Reid: Alex Smith 'was the greatest thing that ever happened to Patrick Mahomes'

Shortly after quarterback Alex Smith retired from playing in the spring of 2021, Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid remarked he'd love to have Smith on his staff. 

The two, of course, are no strangers to each other, as Smith spent five seasons playing under Reid in Kansas City. Smith was also serving as Kansas City's QB1 when the club selected Patrick Mahomes in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft, a decision that worked out well for Reid and company but also sparked the beginning of the end of Smith's time with the franchise. 

Per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk, Reid spoke with Fox Sports' Colin Cowherd about how Smith's mentorship in 2017 helped Mahomes develop into a signal-caller who has won regular-season and Super Bowl Most Valuable Player honors. 

"I told Alex, 'Man go out and have the greatest year you’ve ever had and you don’t have to teach Pat. We’re here to do that as coaches. You’re out there to go produce and win games and do the best you possibly can for your team.' And so that’s the way we approached it with him," Reid explained. 

"Now Alex by nature, though, was the greatest thing that ever happened to Patrick Mahomes. There are different ways to do this thing, whether you play the player right now or some behind a veteran player. Alex was perfect for that. Alex did let Patrick into his world without being forced on it or anything and he let Patrick in it. Patrick handled it the right way and didn’t step in the way of Alex and what he needed to produce and had respect for him. So it worked out perfect. I didn’t have to say a whole lot other than, 'You go play and go win games, let’s go win a championship and do the best you possibly can do at the quarterback position.'" 

Last week, Tennessee Titans veteran quarterback Ryan Tannehill somewhat controversially said he was "competing against" rookie Malik Willis and later added it's not his "job" to mentor the first-year pro. While it sounds as if Reid would agree with Tannehill's approach to the situation, the coach is clearly grateful Smith handled things differently years ago.