If you’ve spent any time on sports Twitter or scrolled through Kansas City Chiefs forums lately, you’ve probably seen the phrase Andy Reid on his knees popping up in weirdly specific ways. It sounds like one of those viral moments that should have a clear, singular explanation. But honestly? It’s kinda the opposite. It is a mix of legitimate NFL strategy, some pretty serious health history, and the ever-churning rumor mill of the internet.
Football fans are obsessive. We notice when a coach moves differently or when a camera catches a split-second reaction on the sideline. With "Big Red," those moments carry weight because the guy is a legend.
The Victory Knee: Respect and Strategy
The most recent, and arguably most grounded, reason people search for this involves a specific game against the New England Patriots. In late 2023, the Chiefs were closing out a win. Standard stuff, right? But instead of running another play or trying to pad the stats, Reid had the team take a knee to end it.
After the game, Reid confirmed that his decision to have the team on his knees (figuratively, via the victory formation) was a sign of respect to Bill Belichick. He called Belichick "the best to ever do it." It wasn't just about the clock. It was about professional courtesy.
Taking a knee is the ultimate "game over" signal in the NFL. For Andy Reid, it’s a tool he uses to protect his players from unnecessary late-game injuries. As he often tells the locker room after a big win: "Let’s take a knee." It’s a moment of pause before the celebration starts.
💡 You might also like: El Salvador partido de hoy: Why La Selecta is at a Critical Turning Point
The Physical Toll: Andy Reid’s Knee Surgery History
We can't talk about Andy Reid and his knees without mentioning his actual, physical knees. The man has been through the ringer. Back in 2016, Reid actually had to miss the NFL Scouting Combine because of a total knee replacement.
It wasn't a smooth ride.
He dealt with a persistent infection that forced him to have the replacement removed, a temporary plate put in, and then another surgery once the infection cleared up. For a while there, Reid was basically coaching on one leg, often seen using a cane or a motorized cart during training camp.
- 2015: First knee replacement surgery.
- 2016: Second knee replacement, followed by complications and infection.
- 2021: A health scare after a game where he was transported to the hospital (though this was more about dehydration and exhaustion than his joints).
When fans see Reid bending over or appearing to be in discomfort on the sideline, the concern is real. Coaching in the NFL is a high-stress, high-physical-impact job, even if you aren't the one taking hits from 300-pound linemen.
📖 Related: Meaning of Grand Slam: Why We Use It for Tennis, Baseball, and Breakfast
The Rumors vs. Reality
There is a weird side to the internet where satire gets mistaken for news. You might have seen headlines claiming Reid "fired players for kneeling."
That’s fake.
Specifically, sites like SpaceXMania (which is a satire site) have run stories saying Reid booted stars like Travis Kelce or Patrick Mahomes for anthem protests. None of that happened. Reid’s actual stance on players kneeling has always been one of "keeping it in the family." He’s famously private about locker room discussions, telling the media in the past that while the team discusses social issues, "nobody else needs to really know" the specifics of their internal dialogue.
He isn't a coach who makes a spectacle of himself on the sideline in that way. He’s there to draw up plays on a grease-stained sheet of paper and win football games.
👉 See also: NFL Week 5 2025 Point Spreads: What Most People Get Wrong
Why These Moments Go Viral
Why does "Andy Reid on his knees" even trend? It’s usually a combination of:
- Human Concern: Fans genuinely love the guy and worry about his mobility.
- Meme Culture: Sometimes a camera angle makes it look like he’s kneeling to look at a play-sheet, and the internet turns it into a "caption this" moment.
- The Mahomes Factor: Recently, in 2025 and early 2026, Patrick Mahomes has dealt with his own serious knee issues, including a torn ACL. Often, when people search for Reid’s knees, they are actually looking for his comments on Mahomes’ recovery.
Basically, if Reid is "on his knees" in a literal sense on the field, it's usually because he’s checking on a fallen player. We saw this when Deon Bush went down in a preseason game; Reid is often the first person out there, showing that "player-coach" bond that has defined his tenure in KC.
What to Watch For Next
If you’re following the Chiefs into the 2026 season, the focus isn't really on Reid’s joints anymore—it’s on his longevity. He’s proven he can coach through physical pain and health scares.
The real thing to watch isn't a viral photo, but the injury report for his players. With Mahomes working through a grueling rehab, Reid’s ability to adapt his playbook is going to be tested more than ever.
If you want to stay updated on the actual facts:
- Check the official Chiefs injury report for player status.
- Ignore "breaking news" from satire accounts on Facebook.
- Watch the post-game pressers; Reid is usually very blunt about his own health and the team's status if you listen past the "How 'bout those Chiefs!" intro.
The man is a fixture of the game. Whether he’s taking a knee to show respect to a rival or recovering from his own surgeries, he’s not going anywhere soon.