Just minutes after the Kansas City Chiefs’ 31-9 Super Bowl LV loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday night, head coach Andy Reid was among the first to address the media.
Unsurprisingly, one of the initial topics Reid addressed in an opening statement was the car accident caused by his son Britt on Thursday night, which left two young children injured, including a five-year-old girl currently fighting life-threatening injuries.
“I haven’t had the chance to address you since the accident happened that my son was involved in,” Reid told reporters during his postgame press conference, via SI’s Arrowhead Report. “My heart goes out to all of those that were involved in the accident, in particular the family with the little girl that was fighting for her life.
“It’s a tough situation, I can’t comment on it any more than what I am here. The questions that you have I’m going to have to turn those down at the time. Just from a human standpoint, my heart bleeds for everybody involved in that.”
Reid: Accident No Problem From a ‘Football Standpoint’
When asked in a follow-up question whether the situation was a distraction for him or the team, Reid said it didn’t have any impact on the football side of things.
“We had put the game plan in the week before,” Reid reiterated after the game. “The distraction wasn’t a distraction as far as the game plan goes. That was already in and how we were going to work with it and go forward. I would tell you, it’s a loaded question, Dianna [Russini]. From a human standpoint, it’s a tough one. From a football standpoint, two separate things. From a football standpoint, that wasn’t, I don’t think that was the problem.”
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes was also asked about the impact of the incident and offered a similar sentiment to the families affected.
Mahomes on accident involving Britt Reid: “It’s a very tragic situation and you want to keep that in the back of your mind, but your definitely praying for the family.” #Chiefs
5-Year-Old Girl Remains in Critical Condition
As of Monday morning, the critically injured five-year-old, Ariel, has yet to wake up since the crash, according to Yahoo Sports’ Terez Paylor.
KCPD says the 5-year-old who was injured in the accident involving Britt Reid remains in critical condition this morning.
It is still anticipated to take several weeks for investigation and presentation to the prosecutors.
A confirmed GoFundMe campaign has since been set up to help pay for medical expenses and support the girl’s single mother, Felicia Miller, per the page. Thanks to the support of over 7,500 individual donors, what started as a $45,000 donation goal has ballooned into over $300,000 as of writing.
Now suffering from “swelling and bleeding in and around the brain,” Ariel and the four-year-old who suffered non-critical injuries were seated in the back of her mother’s Chevy Impala, the second stopped vehicle to be struck by Reid’s pickup truck. The collision occurred just one exit away from the Chiefs’ practice facility in Kansas City just after 9:00 p.m. CT on Thursday.
Here was the full description of events provided to Heavy via an incident report from the Kansas City Police Department:
A grey Chevy Impala was on the southbound entrance ramp from Stadium Drive. The Chevy Impala ran out of gas and was initially stopped with flashers on, but the battery was dying. The driver and lone occupant of the Chevy Impala called his cousins for help. The cousins responded and parked their silver Chevy Traverse, south of the stranded Chevy Impala, with their lights on. A white Ram Laramie Sport pickup was traveling on the entrance ramp, to get on southbound I-435. The Ram pickup struck the left front of the stranded Chevy Impala. The Ram continued south and slammed into the rear of the stopped Chevy Traverse.
According to a search warrant obtained by FOX 4 Kansas City on Friday, the 35-year-old Reid admitted to consuming “2-3 drinks” and being on prescription Adderall prior to the crash. No charges have yet been filed while the KCPD continues its investigation for driver impairment and awaits toxicology and health updates.
As ESPN’s Dianna Russini reported on Saturday, Reid, the Chiefs assistant linebackers coach, did not travel with the team to Tampa Bay. Instead, he is expected to remain in a Kansas City area hospital “for days” recovering from undisclosed, non-life-threatening injuries. However, Andy Reid did reveal on Monday morning that his son had surgery and is “doing better now.”
Andy Reid says he’s had a chance to talk to Britt Reid.
“My heart goes out to that young lady, I’m also a dad so I get that so I have concerns obviously on both sides. Britt did have surgery, he’s doing better now. That little girl, my heart goes out to her.”
READ NEXT:
- Patrick Mahomes’ Mom, Chiefs Players Sound off on Super Bowl Referees
- NFL Insider Predicts Chiefs Could Lose Top Free Agent to Patriots
- Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes Expected to Need Offseason Surgery: Report
Chris Licata is an NFL contributor covering the Kansas City Chiefs from enemy territory in Denver, Colorado. Follow him on Twitter @Chris__Licata or join the Heavy on Chiefs Facebook community for the latest out of Chiefs Kingdom!
Comments
Andy Reid Breaks Silence on Son’s Car Accident, Critically Injured Girl