Alex Smith has officially retired from the NFL; if he pursues a coaching career, should the Chiefs bring him aboard?
Hello again everyone and welcome to another week of the ArrowChop! This is the column where we look at the positives/negatives of a certain Chiefs/NFL issue and look at both sides of the aisle. Then you, the readers, will come to your conclusions after I lay out the case. So sit back, relax, and enjoy as we break down this week’s hot topic.
After his spectacular Comeback Player of the Year season, Alex Smith has officially announced that he’ll retire from the NFL in a heartfelt video. Alex Smith has had a 16 career where he won 99 games, threw for over 35,000 yards, posted a 62.6% completion percentage, and 199 passing touchdowns. When he played for the Chiefs, he posted amazing stats with throwing for 102 touchdowns and throwing for over 17k yards in five years; he even led the Chiefs to the playoffs four times and helped mentor a young Patrick Mahomes.
With his retirement was announced, Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid stated on Sports Radio 810 that if Smith gets into coaching, he’s got dibs on him:
Having said that, if he decides to hop into coaching, should the Chiefs try and snag him? Let’s break down both sides of the aisle to find out:
The Chiefs should snag Smith as a coach
This side believes so as such:
For starters, it’s proven that he can be a spectacular mentor for young quarterbacks. In 2017, guess who was the backup to Smith, learning from him as the game played through? That’s right, none other than former MVP and Super Bowl Champion Patrick Mahomes. Having been in the process of molding Mahomes into what he is today is huge bragging rights, especially if you want to look for a coaching job.
He’d be able to go in and help younger QBs grasp the knowledge of the game, and hopefully, prosper with whatever team they’d end up with. A Mahomes and Smith reunion would be exciting to see, especially with the ideas they may have together to fool offenses and improve themselves. Smith would be a great QB’s coach in the NFL, or even an offensive coordinator if he so chooses. This leads to this next point:
Secondly, he holds within his head a spectacular offensive mind. You can’t lead a team to the playoffs if you don’t have one; he can break down defensive schemes with ease, call and draw up plays if he’s given play-calling duties or part of it, and so on. Him plus Reid (if he’s still the coach if Smith makes that decision) would be another duo that would be interesting to see working together yet again; they were able to do well in five years with each other, so it’s not that far of a reach.
Finally, he is well-liked in KC. The fans love him and everyone within the NFL, whether it be old foes or past teammates, respects him for what he has come back through. A KC reunion would be rejoiced by most.
The Chiefs shouldn’t snag Smith as a coach
This side believes so as such:
According to one fan, the Chiefs shouldn’t snag him as he would turn Mahomes into ‘Checkdown Pat’. Smith was infamous for check-downs when he played for KC and states that could rub off on Mahomes. It’s an odd point, but it’s there:
A more literal point on this side is that Smith should just enjoy retirement and not worry about the NFL or football. Smith has made about $190 million over the course of his playing career; that’s enough money to live off of for lifetimes over. People say that he should spend time with family, and enjoy himself after a spectacular career.
Another point that is brought up is that Smith has stated in interviews that he isn’t interested in coaching any time soon. He stated that “my wife would kill me (Smith) if I decided to coach“. This in itself could conclude talks of him possibly ever running it back as an NFL coach and prove that he’ll most likely spend time with his family.
What do you think the Chiefs should do with Smith? Leave a comment down below to join the discussion, and be sure to follow me on Twitter @HunterStanton8 and @ArrowheadLive. Thanks for reading, and have a fantastic day.
