The defensive boss in Kansas City is safe, so says the big sideline boss.

According to Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City City Star, the Kansas City Chiefs are, in fact, retaining defensive coordinator Bob Sutton. Head coach Andy Reid turned the idea factual with his words on Thursday.

“There’s nothing going on there,” Reid said when asked directly if Sutton will return as defensive coordinator. “I know everybody has their opinion on everything, just like they did when they wanted me to bench Alex (Smith). That turned out pretty good.

“So (replacing Sutton) is not where I’m at or have ever been. I don’t listen to any of that. I do what I think is right for the Kansas City Chiefs.”

Sutton's future appeared hazy due to recent disappointments.

First and most alarming, his defense blew an 18-point lead in the Chiefs bitter 22-21 loss at Arrowhead to the fresh Tennesse Titans in the first round of the NFL playoffs.

Secondly, the team finished 26th in total defense over the course of 16 regular season games, allowing 365.1 yards a contest. This output is gravely upsetting for, perhaps, the loudest fanbase in the league, especially when coupling it with a 24th-ranked total defense number in 2016.

Not since 2015 has Sutton's unit really instilled fear in opposing offenses. That year, Kansas City finished seventh in total defense and third in scoring defense with an excellent mark of 17.9 points allowed per game.

In Sutton's defense, three-time All-Pro safety Eric Berry missed the entire 2017 NFL season after suffering a brutal Achilles injury in Week 1's stunning blowout win over the New England Patriots. Moreover, Dontari Poe, one of the most beastly interior defensive player in the league bolted last spring for the Atlanta Falcons.

Sutton, 66, an old-school 3-4 base defensive mind, has been the Chiefs defensive coordinator since 2013 and also has three years of defensive coordinator experience with the New York Jets under Eric Mangini (2006-2008).