Andy Reid Coaches KC to Third Super Bowl Win in Five Years
Eagles fans seem to be divided over the success of Andy Reid since he left the team after a 4-12 season in 2012. Some are happy for his success, but others are bitter that it couldn’t have occurred in Philadelphia.
Reid was a relatively unknown assistant coach who wasn’t even a coordinator when the Eagles hired him in 1999. After a 5-11 first season, he would achieve eight double-digit win totals over the next 13 seasons. Reid led the Eagles to five NFC championship games, with one Super Bowl appearance.
It was a great run, but the losses in four of the NFC title games and Super Bowl (following the 2004 season), still sting to many Eagles fans.
That doesn’t mean that Reid’s accomplishment with the Eagles shouldn’t be appreciated, but Philadelphia fans, being as passionate as they are, want more and with many of those teams, rightly so.
Still, to say that Reid didn’t do a great job with the Eagles would be short-sighted.
Two things could be right at the same time. Reid did a great job, but also fell short and suffered plenty of disappointment.
Now with the Chiefs, he has the making of a dynasty. With the 25-22 OT win over the San Francisco 49ers, Reid and the Chiefs have won their third Super Bowl over the past five years.
Those Reid naysayers give the credit to Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes. And while Mahomes has already put himself in the top 10 quarterbacks of all-time – and already closer to No. 1 than to No. 10 – it was Reid and the Chiefs who traded up to draft him and developed him as well.
Remember, Reid told Mahomes that he would be sitting his rookie year behind veteran Alex Smith. Mahomes wasn’t rushed and had a year to learn the system and learn how to be an NFL quarterback. Mahomes has often stated what a great tutor Smith was.
In addition, Mahomes has also raved about working with Reid.
In short, both Reid and Mahomes deserve a boatload of credit for the Chiefs success.
And Reid, with the three Super Bowl wins and five appearances, is a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame.
By the end of his Eagles tenure, Reid simply had too much on his plate, overseeing the personnel department, while also coaching.
In the NFL coaching is difficult enough and we have seen what Reid can do, when he is just coaching and leaving the GM duties to Brett Veach.
One of Reid’s great strengths is play-calling.
In last year’s 38-35 Super Bowl win over the Eagles, two of the Chiefs touchdowns were to wide-open players, just a great job of scheming.
This year’s winning 3-yard TD pass to a wide-open Micole Hardman was similar. It’s almost impossible to get so open in such a short area, but it was a great play-design by Reid and credit goes to Mahomes and Hardman for carrying out the plan.
This year may have been Reid’s best coaching job.
KC had to win a home playoff game over Miami in the coldest NFL game of the season. The Chiefs then had to earn wins at Buffalo and Baltimore to earn their Super Bowl berth.
And then beating a quality 49ers team concluded the impressive postseason run.
Reid is one of five coaches to win three or more Super Bowls. Here is the list:
Bill Belichick (6)
Chuck Noll (4)
Bill Walsh (3)
Joe Gibbs (3)
Andy Reid (3)
Vince Lombardi won five championships, but three came before a Super Bowl existed. He also won the first two Super Bowls.
Either way, Reid is in heady company. Who knows what would have happened had the Eagles not given him his first job?
Eagles fans can feel the way they want and some will never be happy for Reid since the major success has come away from Philadelphia, but it’s hard for this reporter not to appreciate all he has accomplished during a Hall of Fame coaching career.
Photo via Kansas City Chiefs' X
advertisement
Author: Marc Narducci
Archives
Who’s Who in Health Care
Ahead of the Curve
Money Matters
Going Greener and Cleaner
Self-Made Man
Building Toward the Future
On The Move
Firing Up
Drinking it All In
Caring for One Another
What’s the Big Idea?
Making Connections
Up to the Challenge
Today’s Pupils, Tomorrow’s Professionals
Best of Home & Garden 2024
More...
