Most Super Bowl chatter is about players, but for me, this year’s big game is all about “Big Red”. Andy Reid has racked up 221 wins as a head coach in the NFL and Sunday marks his second Super Bowl appearance. The question is will an elusive championship complete Reid’s legacy or has he already put together a Hall of Fame career?
"I like dress codes, as long as it's Tommy Bahama ... No speedos!"Andy Reid, fashion icon. -- pic.twitter.com/0AOXkVbOkE
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX)
January 28, 2020 The 61-year-old Los Angeles, California native got started in the coaching game as a graduate assistant at BYU in 1982. He became an offensive line coach for San Francisco State the next year and would go onto to Northern Arizona, UTEP, and then Missouri before the NFL came a calling.
Reid was hired by the Green Bay Packers in 1992 as an offensive assistant and spent 7 years with the organization. In ’95 he moved up to assistant offensive line & tight ends coach, and then in ’97 was elevated to quarterbacks coach & assistant head coach after the team won Super Bowl 31 with Brett Favre at the helm in the Superdome against the New England Patriots.
He would leave the ranks of assistant coach in 1999, when the Philadelphia Eagles made him their head coach. Reid would spend 14 years in Philly, and brought the team to the postseason 9 times that included five losses in conference championship games. He became known as a coach that could mold a team into a contender, but was never able to finish. Reid’s contract with the Eagles was not extended following the 2012 season after the team missed the playoffs in back-to-back years.
Love what Andy Reid said about Philly“It’s almost a badge of honor when you get booed there. If you can withstand the pressure of Philadelphia, then you become a Philadelphian. I loved my time in Philadelphia”#BigRedpic.twitter.com/s8jo0goqM3
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS)
January 29, 2020 It did not take long for him to get a new job though, as Kansas City moved quickly to name Reid their new head coach on January 4th, 2013. Since running the show there, the chiefs have never had a losing season in his 7 years and are now a win away from bringing K.C. their 1st championship since Super bowl IV in 1969.
“You can tell that he’s a guy that’s about the people,” says former LSU star Tyrann Mathieu, who joined the Chiefs this season. “I can remember some of our first conversations and it’s all about family, it’s all about team, it’s all about being who you are. He makes us feel comfortable.”
Only #Chiefs head coach Andy Reid would compare being a grandparent to eating sweet and sour pork. -- pic.twitter.com/0RIy5oc9k9
— Andrew Kauffman (@AndrewABC17)
January 31, 2020 Family is something that Reid has experienced major tragedy in. His oldest son, Garrett, was found dead at the age of 29 on August 5, 2012, at Eagles training camp from a heroin overdose. The morning after the funeral though, Andy was back at practice, saying it was the right thing to do and what Garrett would’ve wanted. One of his other kids, Britt, dealt with drug issues as well, but cleaned up and has been a part of his father’s staff in Kansas City since 2012.
In 21 years as a head coach, hoisting the Lombardi Trophy is an honor that’s eluded Andy Reid. His team faces a tough San Francisco squad that has a hellacious defense ands ground game to counter. The Chiefs might have the best QB in the game right now though in Patrick Mahomes. Will that be enough to lead Reid and Kansas City to the promised land though?
“The only thing I can control is how we work and do the things we do. May the best team win. That’s how we roll,” Reid said.
