How the Andy Reid coaching tree came to be, and why it looms huge again for the Chiefs
To the surprise of many 25 years
That includes going over the contents of a huge notepad Reid carried around. The book included extensive information on several issues, but one in particular stood out as crucial for the time and in the future. In 2020, Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie and then-executive vice-president Joe Banner expressed surprise at Reid’s creation of a “draft board of coaches.” He’d have a wide receiver coach as the sixth-ranked individual, and you’d ask him why he was number six, and the level of depth and knowledge he shown in answering those questions was quite amazing.”
ago last week, the Philadelphia Eagles recruited a guy who had never been an NFL coordinator or head coach at any level to revitalize an organization that had gone 9-16-1 the previous two seasons. Nonetheless, Andy Reid, who formerly served as the Green Bay Packers’ associate head coach and quarterbacks coach, stood out in a number of ways throughout the interview process.
Even more astonishing is how prescient Reid’s visions proved to be: Eight of Reid’s first Eagles assistants went on to become NFL head coaches. Doug Pederson, a ninth-year player, eventually became Reid’s assistant coach. From that group, Pederson and John Harbaugh won Super Bowls before Reid did with the Chiefs, while Ron Rivera led Carolina to the Super Bowl in 2015.
Most importantly, this postseason is replete with Reid protégés, including the head coaches of the three remaining AFC teams as the Chiefs attempt to return to the Super Bowl. The Buffalo Bills, led by Sean McDermott, are up next on Sunday. Should the Chiefs win, they would most likely face Harbaugh’s top-seeded Baltimore Ravens club. Or they might meet the Houston Texans and coach DeMeco Ryans, who also worked under Reid in Philadelphia. Tampa Bay is on the NFC side of the bracket heading into the weekend, led by coach Todd Bowles, who previously worked for Reid with the Eagles.
What all of this familiarity with one another means in the great picture of things remains to be seen. However, it often goes like this: “Challenging,” defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said of playing Reid while he was head coach of the Rams in 2011. “Don’t tell Andy,” Spagnuolo, Reid’s initial Eagles assistant, joked, turning to his side in case Reid was listening. “We had him beat, I thought.”
Well, not quite. The Rams scored on their opening play from scrimmage, but were outscored 31-13 on an injury-riddled day. As McDermott can more recently and sadly confirm, that wasn’t the only time a former Reid aide believed he had him beat and failed. In fact, Reid is 21-9 all-time versus his former coaches, including 4-0 in the postseason. If you include Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski, who impressed then-Eagles assistant Brad Childress as an Eagles training camp intern to land his first job in Minnesota, Reid is 23-9 and 5-0 against the men who helped build his career while he made a significant difference in theirs.
Reid’s effect on the game will be recognized for his offensive inventiveness and mind-melding with Patrick Mahomes, but it can also be evaluated by his influence among coaches.
