Kansas City Chiefs reach out to Louis Riddick for GM job

The first name to come up in the Kansas City Chiefs general manager hunt is a bit of a surprise. The Chiefs have reached out to ESPN analyst Louis Riddick.

Late Edit: Louis Riddick has now tweeted that he has not been contacted by the Chiefs, and there is no interview scheduled. We will keep you updated as information develops.

When the Kansas City Chiefs chose to part ways with general manager John Dorsey, the instant question was on how they would replace him. There are no shortage of qualified candidates out there, but choosing one isn’t easy. However, the first man up has been identified as the Chiefs will interview ESPN analyst Louis Riddick.

For some, that name is going to be a bit of a surprise. We don’t often think of analysts as candidates to work in a front office. In fact, it’s usually the other way around. However, Louis Riddick comes from an extensive NFL background that includes time as a player, front office executive, and only recently as an analyst.

In fact, Louis Riddick was a fairly hot name for the 49ers GM job earlier this offseason. Prior to that, he has been in consideration for other jobs, such as the Detroit GM position. So this is not some random name being drawn out of a hat for the Chiefs.

Related Story: Kansas City Chiefs: Potential Reasons Dorsey Was Fired

Strong Ties To KC Leadership

In fact, the biggest reason why Louis Riddick may be in line for the job is that Andy Reid has worked with him before. Riddick was previously with the Philadelphia Eagles organization from 2008 to 2013. Of course, we all know that Andy Reid was the head coach of the Eagles back then, and also handling a lot of the front office work.

Andy Reid likes working with people he knows. That makes a lot of sense really. Reid runs a somewhat complex system. While we generally equate that to the players on the field, it is also important for the people in the front office to be on the same page. It was one of the reasons why Reid wanted John Dorsey in the first place.

Having that kind of a background could really help the Chiefs achieve a fluid transfer from one GM to the next. Riddick will have also worked a lot with Brett Veach, the co-Director of Player Personnel in Kansas City now. That will also be an important relationship for the front office.

It’s A Very Good Job

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Louis Riddick has shown that he’s interested in taking a general manager position. As far as the options out there, it’s hard to argue that a better opportunity would ever present itself. The Chiefs GM position is about as close to a “dream job” as a front office guy could find.

Kansas City is coming off of back to back 10+ win seasons, including an AFC West title last year. The team is stocked with talent, including multiple All-Pro players. There is also a very stable coaching situation all ready in place. That checks a lot of the boxes right off the bat.

On top of that, the Chiefs have already addressed their quarterback situation for both the short and long-term. That is a huge burden that Louis Riddick, or any other GM candidate, won’t have to deal with for a few years. An added benefit is that the new GM also won’t be tied to Patrick Mahomes in the event he doesn’t work out. Another plus for the candidates.

The Kansas City Chiefs general manager job is a very attractive position. The Chiefs are clearly not wasting any time in their search. Louis Riddick may not have been on the top of your list (or mine), but he is absolutely a quality candidate who makes a lot of sense for KC.