Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid was feeling the holiday spirit on Christmas Day — but quarterback Patrick Mahomes said it might be time for Reid to hang up his Santa suit.
Reid, 66, surprised his team dressed as Santa Claus in the locker room after the Chiefs’ 29-10 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday, December 25. The festive cameo drew an uproarious response from his players, however, Mahomes, 29, joked that his coach’s appearance has become increasingly dissimilar to Old Saint Nick himself.
“He’s getting kinda skinny. He’s getting kinda skinny for the Santa,” Mahomes told reporters after the game.
Still, Mahomes acknowledged that Reid “fits the role perfectly.”
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“It’s good for his health,” Mahomes said of his coach’s apparent weight loss, “so he’ll be a skinny Santa from now on.”
Reid previously dressed up as Santa for the Chiefs’ Christmas Eve game against the Miami Dolphins in 2017, taking questions from reporters dressed in the suit — which Mahomes remembered vaguely.
“I believe my first year when I wasn’t starting he might have done it,” the quarterback recalled.
Indeed, Mahomes took over the starting quarterback role in Kansas City in 2018 after serving as Tyler Bray’s backup for one season.
Reid — who looks noticeably slimmer on the sidelines this season — told reporters “one of my elves” packed the Santa suit for the big Christmas surprise.
“I can’t tell you the secrets,” Reid said slyly. “But there was an elf involved. For all you non-believers out there, doggunnit.”
As for Santa’s arrival inside the locker room on Wednesday, he came bearing a very coveted gift for the assembled players.
“How ‘bout those Chiefs!” Reid, as Santa, exclaimed. “That’s what I’m talkin’ about! Hey, Merry Christmas, men. Proud of you, dudes! Proud of you. For the present, you get home field advantage!”
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The Chiefs’ win over the Steelers clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC for Kansas City, ensuring a first-round bye and guaranteeing potential playoff games in the lead-up to February’s Super Bowl LIX would take place at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium.
To top off the locker room celebration, Chiefs equipment manager Chris Shropshire popped out of an equipment case, dressed as an elf, to reward Reid with a game ball.
“Shropy, Shropy, Shropy!” the team chanted.
The Chiefs close out the regular season on Sunday, January 5, against the Denver Broncos. Their first-round bye guarantees they won’t open the playoffs until the AFC Divisional Round, which kicks off on Sunday, January 18.
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