Chiefs' Reid calls '1st dibs' on Alex Smith if he becomes coach

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid would love to have former quarterback Alex Smith on his coaching staff.

Smith retired Monday, and although Reid doesn't expect the 36-year-old to begin a coaching career, he'd welcome the former signal-caller on the Chiefs' sideline with open arms.

"You guys know what I feel about him," Reid said, according to Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk. "He's just a heck of a person. He had a great career. He played so many years here with different teams, and everywhere he went, he made them better."

Reid continued: "I texted him a while back (that) if he gets into coaching, I get first dibs on him. Which, I doubt he will, but if he decides to go that route, he'd be a guy that you'd love to have on your staff. He is really a special person. He'll go down as one of my all-time favorites there."

Reid coached Smith in Kansas City from 2013-17, where the ex-passer posted a 50-26 regular-season record while earning three Pro Bowl berths. The Chiefs traded Smith to the Washington Football Team at the end of the 2017 campaign.

Several teams reportedly expressed interest in signing Smith this offseason before he called it a career.

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