“He has a history of success with backup QBs,” Smith said, highlighting how well the Broncos’ head coach has performed in those situations. He also cited past results under Payton: “Jameis Winston went 5–2 with Sean Payton. Teddy Bridgewater went 5–1.”

Smith added that the Broncos are unlikely to drastically change their approach without Nix. “You think the game plan isn’t gonna change, right? That game we saw [vs. the Bills], they were throwing haymakers at each other. You better believe whatever they play next week is gonna be the same,” Smith said.

Smith believes the Broncos can reach the Super Bowl

Smith didn’t stop at praising Payton’s résumé with backups or discussing how Denver might operate without Nix. When asked whether he believes the Broncos can reach the Super Bowl with Stidham under center, Smith answered, “Absolutely.”

Smith also recalled Payton’s demeanor during the press conference announcing Nix’s absence, suggesting the head coach was already prepared for the challenge. “Did you almost see it in his press conference? Heartbroken for Bo Nix, but there was almost a sparkle on Sean Payton’s face. He literally said, ‘Watch out!’ That’s him,” Smith said.

Looking further back, history has shown backup quarterbacks can still be part of championship runs. Tom Brady once won a ring after replacing Drew Bledsoe, and Trent Dilfer won a Super Bowl after taking over for Tony Banks during the season.

One of the names generating the most buzz in recent days is Matt Nagy, who appears to be seemingly out as the Chiefs’ OC for 2026. As a result, finding his potential replacement could prove challenging, given the role’s high profile.

Alex Smith has had a significant career in Chiefs Kingdom, including three Pro Bowl selections. His name has been floated as a potential successor to Nagy for the upcoming campaign, though his plans are far from joining Chiefs’ coaching staff.

“No way,” Smith during Tuesday’s episode of Up & Adams, hosted by Kay Adams. “No. It’s so hard, my kids. I got 14, 12, 9. You take that job, it’s like ‘see you in five years.’ You know, it’s hard, I love Matt (Nagy), that’s my guy, I love Matt, but no.“

He also revealed that he views a potential reunion between Mike Kafka and Reid in a positive light: “Andy (Reid) just rarely brings somebody out of his circle. I don’t think it’s a bad thing if he did, but I think in some ways (Mike) Kafka fits that so perfectly, he just spent four or five years with (Brian) Daboll in that system, but obviously he knows that Chiefs system so well, i think he can bring in some outside ideas.”

Restructuring in Andy Reid’s coaching staff

Heading into the 2026 NFL season, Andy Reid faces the daunting prospect of losing both his offensive coordinator, Matt Nagy, and his defensive mastermind, Steve Spagnuolo, as both have already begun interviewing for head coaching vacancies.

Nagy has emerged as a top candidate for several rebuilding franchises, with reports linking him to the Tennessee Titans, Arizona Cardinals, Las Vegas Raiders, and even the Baltimore Ravens.

Meanwhile, Spagnuolo’s elite defensive schemes have made him a priority target for the Titans—largely due to his connection with GM Mike Borgonzi—as well as the New York Giants and the Raiders. Losing both pillars of his coaching staff simultaneously would force Reid into a massive organizational reset as he looks to maintain the Chiefs‘ championship standards.

During his rookie season, Mahomes contributed from his position, supporting and learning every route his teammates ran on the field, while waiting for Andy Reid to give him the opportunity to see playing time.

Against all odds and in a controversial decision, the veteran head coach handed Mahomes the starting job beginning in Week 1 of the 2018 season, replacing none other than Alex Smith — who later admitted that, during their first year together, he had already seen leadership qualities in his young teammate.

“I think as the season went on…” Alex Smith said on The Rich Eisen Show. “There were throws that he made throughout—you know, you’d see on the practice field and you’d start to see how fast he was processing—and then certainly that last game [of the 2017 season]. To go out there in an NFL game and play the way he did, I think everybody that was there that day knew that he was ready.“

Three Super Bowl rings, three Super Bowl MVP titles, and two NFL MVP awards — just some of the major accomplishments Patrick Mahomes has achieved so far with the Chiefs. Undoubtedly, one of the best quarterbacks of his era, with an already remarkable career under his belt.

Major roster moves shake up the Chiefs

Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce will once again lead a team whose main goal is to make another Super Bowl appearance. With Kelce’s decision to stay for another season now confirmed, Andy Reid and the Chiefs have decided to part ways with multiple tight ends.

According to Wednesday’s NFL transaction wire, the Kansas City Chiefs have released tight ends Anthony Firkser and Baylor Cupp. It’s been a busy stretch of roster activity for Reid’s squad, which also moved on from linebacker Shaun Bradley, offensive guard McKade Mettauer, and safety Jason Taylor II earlier in the week.

Are the Chiefs contenders once again?

The Kansas City Chiefs are once again expected to be strong contenders this season, largely thanks to the continuity of their star duo — Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. After falling short against the Eagles in the last Super Bowl in New Orleans, Andy Reid’s team are still hungry for redemption and aiming to return to the NFL’s biggest stage.

Daniels‘ breakout in the league has been one of the pleasant surprises of this season. His playing style and determination in key moments have led many analysts to project him as one of the top players at his position in the near future.

Alex Smith, on the other hand, shared his thoughts on a key difference between the former LSU player and the star of Andy Reid’s team, Patrick Mahomes. In a recent appearance on @GetUpESPN, Smith made it clear that the Chiefs quarterback doesn’t need as many weapons on offense to get the job done.

“Now, listen, he is phenomenal and I agree with Dan, he is right there. but the weapons he has, the offense he plays in, Patrick does more with less than any other quarterback,” Smith said.

The Commanders have a key absence for the game against the Eagles

The Washington Commanders have been one of the surprises in this NFL Playoff and are just one step away from reaching the Super Bowl. Led by an inspired Daniels, they will face the Philadelphia Eagles in the next round, with the confirmed absence of a key player from their roster.

During the recent victory against the Detroit Lions, offensive lineman Sam Cosmi suffered a torn ACL and will be out for the remainder of the season. Dan Quinn clarified to the press the plan moving forward and how they will look to replace him.

“Trent [Scott] took the bulk of the reps inside. As we go and as we get into this week, we’ll see what all the matchups are and how we want to go about and look at it. But I thought Trent really did a good job,” the HC said.

“We do rotate him some inside and sometimes it’s even on the show team if a player needs other reps. Because at this time of the year, the reps are valuable, you know this. So, they’re not as many as you have during the early part of the season. So, for him, sometimes that’s in a walkthrough, might just be on the carded spot, but he has the experience on both sides. It’s both tackles and so he really nailed it.”

What’s next for the Commanders?

With the main goal of reaching the Super Bowl, Dan Quinn’s team will travel to Philadelphia on Sunday, January 26, to face the Eagles in what is expected to be a tough matchup.

The stage will be the impressive Lincoln Financial Field, and the winner of this matchup will travel to New Orleans for the final game, where they will face the winner of the Chiefs vs Bills showdown.

After his college career at Michigan, Brady was selected by the Patriots with the famous 199th pick in the 2000 NFL Draft. When Drew Bledsoe got injured, he received the opportunity by head coach Bill Belichick and the rest is history. Six Super Bowls won with New England and one more with Tampa to become the greatest player ever.

Now, the legend sparked a huge controversy by saying the NFL was currently mediocre. It all happened during a special appearance on The Stephen A. Smith Show.

“I think there’s a lot of mediocrity in today’s NFL. I don’t see the excellence that I saw in the past. I think the coaching isn’t as good as it was. I don’t think the development of young players is as good as it was. I don’t think the schemes are as good as they were.”

Alex Smith destroys Tom Brady

Alex Smith, former quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs, took notice of Brady’s comments and reminded him that he had just retired from that mediocre NFL and took advantage of a terrible AFC East.

“I love Tom, the Goat, but, he hasn’t been retired that long. He was just playing. He just won a Super Bowl in the current game (Tampa Bay Buccaneers). Is he discounting that one? Then, my biggest complaint with this. He played in the most uncompetitive division, I think, in NFL history.”

For almost two decades, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots absolutely dominated their division as there were never true franchise quarterbacks in the Dolphins, Bills or Jets.

Only a few years ago, when Brady left the Patriots and Josh Allen arrived to the Bills, that trend started to change. That’s why Smith doesn’t agree with Tom’s take on NFL’s mediocrity.

“I mean, you come out of training camp, the biggest cupcake division. You got a ticket to the playoffs right away. Like, talk about mediocre. I completely disagree with this. I know he’s referencing the rule changes over the middle to the receiver, but, in my opinion, I think the game’s gotten better.”

Tom Brady says the NFL is mediocre

Tom Brady indeed emphasized the rule changes are a big part of this new NFL. “The rules have allowed a lot of bad habits to get into the actual performance of the game. So I just think the product in my opinion is less than what it’s been.”

However, Smith doesn’t believe that’s enough to criticize the entire league. “There’s more parity across the league. Quarterback play is at an all time high. You’ve the best athletes playing the position. We didn’t have this 30 or 40 years ago. He’s referencing also that offense is down. Like, the numbers this year. To me, I kind of think we’re in a golden age of defensive linemen.”