Andy Reid: Didn't Have to “Put the Hammer Down” Luring Terrell Suggs to Chiefs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- After the Arizona Cardinals placed veteran edge rusher Terrell Suggs on waivers, reports surfaced the 37-year-old would “strongly consider” retiring unless reunited with the Baltimore Ravens.

But that tune changed after the Chiefs successfully claimed the seven-time Pro Bowler and he spoked with head coach Andy Reid.

“It's hard to turn down the reigning MVP and a playoff team,” Suggs said in the Chiefs' locker room Wednesday. “Just the exciting things that they're doing, this atmosphere, it's kind of hard to turn down. I was really uncertain about my future last week, but I talked to coach and it was a brief conversation and I was like, OK let's see it.”

Reid describes Suggs as “a thorough guy” who wanted to know more about the club and it's atmosphere.

“But did I have to put the hammer down on him or anything?” Reid said. “No, I didn't have to do that. He had some questions, which guys do that have been around. I think he liked what he heard and he was fired up. It wasn't a recruiting-type situation.”

Suggs said he hopes to play immediately and believes he can “contribute right off the bat.”

“This is a team that was a penalty away from the Super Bowl last year,” Suggs said. “You're not really missing much, but hopefully I can add that extra addition that we can potentially do something special.”

After 16 seasons in Baltimore with the Ravens, Suggs departed in March for a free agent deal with the Cardinals. It didn't work out how he hoped, so he had reservations about moving into another unfamiliar situation.

“I asked coach, I just learned the hard way that a player like me doesn't just fit in anywhere,” Suggs said. “Coach Reid said, 'Trust me, you'll fit in here.' I took him at his word, and it's been pretty exciting, been pretty fun since I got here.”