I’m trying to fight but my health is crumbling—Kansa City Chiefs Andy Reid amid health and early retirement issues

LAS VEGAS — Back in September when Andy Reid notched his 270th career victory to tie Tom Landry for fourth place on the NFL career wins list, it triggered a thought that was part imagination and part logic:

Reid had established a clear trajectory toward overtaking the three men in front of him and becoming the winningest coach in NFL history — good health willing.

That prospect may seem a secondary matter here and now. On Sunday, the Chiefs seek to cement a claim to one of the most dominant eras in league history by becoming the first team to repeat as Super Bowl champions in nearly two decades and win a third title in five seasons.

But the moment also will trickle immediately into what’s looming just over the horizon, as of Monday: the considerable matter of the long run.

And that evokes the questions of not merely Reid’s ability to ascend further toward that rarefied record of 347 victories, but also how long he’s inclined to continue on the job.

‘You think he wouldn’t tell me?’

Unsubstantiated chatter that he may soon consider retiring has had a certain ambient presence at the Super Bowl this week, evidently conjured anew out of a bewildering apparent misunderstanding a year ago and a resurfacing of curious speculations over the last month or so.

Now, between Reid’s age, 65, and the 24-hour shockwave last month that left fixtures Belichick, Pete Carroll and Nick Saban no longer on the job, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said Thursday that “it’s probably an easy connect-the-dot there.”

But only from afar. Or by wishful thinking around the league.

Or the slim possibility that someone from the outside looking in has gained more insight on Reid’s mindset than the likes of Veach, quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt. Though it’s hard to know how they’d publicly approach it if something were up, none of them appears remotely concerned Reid’s retirement is imminent.