Chiefs' Andy Reid Speaks out on Joe Thuney Leaving

After the Chiefs traded Joe Thuney to the Bears, Andy Reid had some heartfelt words for his former guard.

Jan 26, 2025; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs guard Joe Thuney (62) against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Last Monday, the Kansas City Chiefs traded their Pro Bowl Guard Joe Thuney to the Chicago Bears, in exchange for a 4th-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Thuney was an integral part of the Chiefs' dynasty, and was among one of the best guards in the NFL when it came to making sure his quarterback was protected. After his departure, head coach Andy Reid spoke out, offering some words of encouragement and advice.

“He’s one of my favorite all time guys that I’ve coached,” Reid exclaimed. “He’s just a good dude — tough, dirty tough. He’s going to do Chicago a heck of a job. He still can play.”

After several expensive moves, from tagging Trey Smith to re-signing Nick Bolton, the Chiefs are in a tough situation when it comes to figuring out their cap space. Kansas City is now $30M over the limit.

“You’ve got to be able to manage this cap thing — and it’s a nightmare that way,” Reid continued. “If you’re not going to push a ton of money forward, then you’ve got to manage the cap and try to keep consistent with this whole winning thing. 

"And it’s not easy to manage. Sometimes, you have to make these decisions, and it just kicks you right in the butt. They’re tough ones. They’re just tough.”

While the move was risky, Reid mentioned tackle Kingsley Suamataia (second-year) as potential Thuney replacement. He also referred to Mike Caliendo, who started at left guard when Thuney was moved to left tackle right before the Playoffs started.

“We’re lucky to have some guys that we feel like can step in and play that position,” Reid stated. “You’ve got to go ahead, and you’ve got to take whatever risk there is. You’ve got to take it and say, ‘Hey, listen, we’ve done some things in the draft to make sure that we’re in a position where we can make this whole winning thing a possibility.

“We did that last year with Kingsley, and he’ll have an opportunity. Caliendo did a nice job working into that position. So, you’ve got competition at that left guard spot. Then, it gave us that opportunity to maybe move Joe — and move him into a place that he really wanted to come to.”

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