NFL Rumors: 5 best Andy Reid replacements if Chiefs face unthinkable

4. Leslie Frazier, former Bills DC

One of the easiest ways for a team to replace their legandary and winning head coach is to hire someone from his coaching tree. Some of the notable names include John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens and Sean McDermott of the Buffalo Bills. But neither are unlikely to be available in the future, let alone this offseason. But when looking towards the available options on the Reid coaching tree, Leslie Frazier stands out.

Frazier worked under Reid from 1999 until 2002 as the defensive backs coach for the Philadelphia Eagles. The defensive-minded head coach would bounce around the league in a variety of stints with teams like the Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts, and Minnesota Vikings. But in 2010, Frazier received his first shot as head coach, taking over for Brad Childress. Frazier became permanent head coach from 2011 until 2013. In his four years as the sideline boss in Minnesota, Frazier had a 21-32-1 record in the regular season, and an 0-1 playoff record (2012, Wild Card Round loss to Green Bay Packers).

After his first head coaching stint, Frazier made a name for himself as the defensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills from 2017 until 2022. The Bills defense was a strength, and it helped that the Bills had developed one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL in Josh Allen from 2018 onwards.

Frazier had received head coaching interviews from a variety of teams over the years, such as the New York Giants, Chicago Bears, and Miami Dolphins in 2022. Even after taking a year off from coaching, Frazier received interest in this coaching cycle, earning interviews with the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders.

If the Chiefs want to look towards Andy Reid's coaching tree, Frazier is available.

3. Mike Vrabel, Former Titans HC

This year's coaching carousel has been probably the most shocking in recent memory. One of the biggest surprises was the Tennessee Titans firing head coach Mike Vrabel. Yes, even though there were reports that those around the league expected either Vrabel or the Titans to move in a different direction, the expectation was that it would result in a trade. Instead, the Titans decided to cut ties with Vrabel and allow him to explore other head coaching opportunities without limits.

Vrabel made a name for himself as a relatively new head coach. After spending three seasons as linebackers coach for the Houston Texans (2014-16), Vrabel was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2017. But in 2018, the Titans made Vrabel an offer as head coach, which he accepted.

In his second year, Vrabel helped guide the Titans to the playoffs, where they defeated the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens to make it to the AFC Championship Game. Then, in 2021, Vrabel won the NFL's Coach of the Year award.

Vrabel never had a losing record in his first four years at the helm. But in 2022 and 2023, the Titans finished with a combined 13-21 record, which can be attributed to changes across the roster, with the offense taking a hit following the trade of wide receiver A.J. Brown.

Despite the losing seasons the past two years, Vrabel is a hot commodity in the coaching carousel, receiving interview requests from the Atlanta Falcons, Seattle Seahawks, and Chargers. It would be something to see a former Chiefs player coach the team, as Vrabel spent the 2009 and 2010 seasons in Kansas City as a linebacker.