Now Suspended, Kansas City Radio Host Apologizes to Andy Reid
Remember the Kansas City radio host whom Joe Banner referred to as a disgusting piece of shit?
Kevin Kietzman from Sportsradio WHB 810 drew parallels from Tyreek Hill’s child abuse investigation to Andy Reid’s family issues, saying that the former Eagles coach “is not good at fixing people.”
Kietzman got absolutely dragged on social media, of course. Just totally annihilated. He explained himself in an email to Awful Announcing and a series of tweets, but right now he’s currently suspended from his on-air role.
Statement from Union Broadcasting:
We are aware of the controversial comments made by Kevin Kietzman during yesterday’s broadcast of Between the Lines. We have decided to take the immediate step to take Kevin off the air until further notice as we review this matter.
We take Kevin’s comments and those of all on-air staff seriously. Kevin’s comments were clearly not to his or our standards. Please know that we will take necessary appropriate actions.
We sincerely apologize to Andy Reid and his family, the Kansas City Chiefs organization and our loyal listeners and share their concerns.
Kietzman apologized to Reid, after the jump:
With sincerest apologies to coach Andy Reid. pic.twitter.com/sVYpYBChbU
— Kevin Kietzman (@kkhasissues) June 25, 2019
So one of the issues here is that people are convinced that Kietzman’s original comments were in reference to Reid’s deceased son Garrett, who died from a heroin overdose in 2012. Kietzman is adamant that he was not talking about Garrett, but instead Andy Reid’s decision to hire his other son Britt, who had issues with drugs and addiction as well. I can’t find any information about his third son, Spencer, but I believe all three were involved in Eagles training camp more than a decade ago. Britt is currently listed as the Chiefs’ outside linebackers coach.
Awful Announcing and others made the immediate connection to Garrett Reid in their original stories, published Monday and Tuesday, and in a follow up, AA wrote this:
Our initial piece was too declarative that Kietzman was referencing Garrett Reid’s death, which he says he wasn’t, and we’re not in his head examining his motivation. But we certainly weren’t the only listener or outlet to make that connection, and our criticism of Kietzman’s comments (and in particular, of “It did not work out particularly well in his family life”) stands. He’s now apologized for those, and we’ll see if he winds up back on the air.
That’s Awful Announcing’s explanation. You’ve got Kietzman’s explanation.
My take? The dude said something he shouldn’t have, and regardless of whether he’s right or wrong, it’s typically a bad idea to bring up family. Don’t go down that road at all. Legitimate points or not, you’re never going to be able to pinpoint the amount of involvement Andy had in his sons’ upbringing, and whether or not he could be viewed as culpable for the personal issues they dealt with. Sure, Andy took a leave of absence from the Eagles to deal with family issues back in 2007. Yeah, his sons were dealing drugs out of his house. Yes, Garrett died of an overdose. That much we do know, but it’s clearly a dead end road to poke around with a subject that’s so private and difficult to attribute anyway. Just keep it off-limits.
Anyway, Kietzman explained himself and apologized, so we’ll see if Union Broadcasting brings him back or just decides to shit can him. Apparently he’s their sports director and also a station investor, for what it’s worth.