Justin Reid Wanted to Remain with the Chiefs, Right Up Till the End, Before He Agreed to a Deal with the Saints

Kansas City, MO – March 26, 2025

Justin Reid, the two-time Super Bowl champion safety, held onto hope of staying with the Kansas City Chiefs until the final moments of his free agency journey, only to sign a three-year, $31.5 million deal with the New Orleans Saints earlier this month. In a revealing interview on the Up & Adams Show with Kay Adams on March 17, Reid shared the emotional rollercoaster of his departure from Chiefs Kingdom, underscoring his deep connection to the team that defined his career over the past three seasons.

“I was trying to wait to buy time, to see if we could get something worked out,” Reid told Adams, reflecting on his negotiations with the Chiefs. “I was texting Coach Spags [Steve Spagnuolo] and [defensive backs coach Dave] Merritt the whole time along the process.” Despite his efforts, Reid acknowledged the harsh reality of the NFL: “The only constant thing in this business is change.” On March 11, he inked his deal with the Saints, a move that brought him back to his home state of Louisiana but ended his tenure with the Chiefs.

Reid’s time in Kansas City was nothing short of remarkable. Joining the Chiefs in 2022 as a free agent from the Houston Texans, he started 59 of 61 possible games, including playoffs, racking up 265 tackles, 23 passes defended, and 3 interceptions. His versatility—blitzing, covering, and even stepping in as an emergency kicker for 16 kickoffs—made him a linchpin in Steve Spagnuolo’s defense, helping secure Super Bowl titles in 2022 and 2023. Yet, after a 40-22 loss to the Eagles in Super Bowl LIX, the Chiefs shifted priorities, opting not to re-sign Reid amid a crowded cap sheet featuring Patrick Mahomes, Chris Jones, and Travis Kelce.

“I don’t think it was from a lack of want on either side,” Reid said, pointing to salary cap constraints and the team’s focus on other moves—like trading Joe Thuney and franchise-tagging Trey Smith—as the deciding factors. “It just didn’t work out.” By the second day of free agency, Reid knew his Chiefs chapter was over, leading him to the Saints, where he’ll pair with fellow ex-Chief Tyrann Mathieu.

Chiefs fans felt the sting. “Will always love you, Kansas City!” Reid posted on X, adding two ring emojis—a bittersweet farewell. On the flip side, his new deal—$22.25 million guaranteed—offers a fresh start alongside a Saints squad stocked with former Chiefs like Mathieu, Willie Gay Jr., and Clyde Edwards-Helaire. As Kansas City turns to young safeties Bryan Cook, Jaden Hicks, and Chamarri Conner, Reid’s exit marks the end of an era—but his heart, it seems, lingered with the Chiefs until the very end.