PHOENIX ― For 20 years, 14 in Philadelphia and his first six in Kansas City, all Andy Reid heard was “that he couldn’t win the big one.” The evidence was strong: five conference championship defeats, and a clock management meltdown late in a 24-21 loss to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXIX.
After winning a second Super Bowl in four years on Sunday night, 38-35 over the Eagles, his former team, Reid has put that narrative to bed once and for all. Instead, the long lingering question over whether Reid would ever win a Super Bowl has now made way for forecasts on how many he could ultimately win.
The answer appears to be at least one more, as on Monday morning, Reid reaffirmed he plans to return as the Chiefs coach for the 2023 season. That revelation comes after a week of speculation about the 64-year-old’s future.
Reid recently told NFL insider Jay Glazer that “I’m not getting any younger. I still have a young quarterback. I have a decision I have to make after this game,” in regard to his future.
After Sunday’s Super Bowl LVII triumph, Reid’s intentions were much more direct. “If they’ll have me, I’ll stick around,” he said. On Monday, at his mandated media availability, he doubled down.
“You know, I’m enjoying what I’m doing, and I’ve got this guy over here that’s a pretty good player. So I think I’m doing OK,” Reid said, pointing toward MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
With a transcendent talent and rapidly ascending all-time great in Mahomes, there’s no saying how many Super Bowls Reid could win if he sticks around long-term. The Chiefs have been in the AFC title game in each of the past five seasons, reached the Super Bowl on three of those occasions, and won twice. A budding dynasty that shows no signs of slowing down, Reid really could just be getting started when it comes to winning Super Bowls. Remember, this is a team that traded one of the NFL’s top weapons in wide receiver Tyreek Hill and still finished No. 1 in the NFL in total offense.
“I said it before the year, I always say as long as Andy Reid is coaching us we have a chance,” said Mahomes, who won his second Super Bowl MVP award on Sunday. “So I’ll keep the big guy around for a couple more years at least and we’ll try and be back in this game as many times as possible.”
“The big guy” or “Big Red,” whatever you prefer to call him, seems to have found a new lease on life in his second home of Kansas City. Once a bit prickly, Reid is now a lot more bubbly and lighthearted with the media. The pressure of winning in Philadelphia, and the hump off his back of having never won a Super Bowl, seem like distant memories these days.
Reid said his “heart is young” and seems genuinely happy and prepared to coach for a while. The offensive mastermind might be a little older but he’s still at the top of his game, as was evident in two brilliant play designs that utilized motion to free up receivers for wide-open touchdowns on Sunday. Reid called just about a perfect game in the second half, as he put Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon and his defense in a blender. The Chiefs scored on all four of their second-half drives — three touchdowns and the game-winning field goal — as Mahomes and Co. marched up and down the field to erase a 10-point halftime deficit.
“He’s one of the greatest coaches of all time,” Mahomes said. “I think people knew that, but these two Super Bowl [wins] cemented that.”
Sitting at 247 career wins, Reid will move past Tom Landry and into fourth place on the all-time wins list early next season, leaving him behind only Bill Belichick, George Halas, and Don Shula. With another Super Bowl, only Belichick (six) and Chuck Noll (four) would have more.
Once viewed as the almost guy, Reid has now solidified himself among the greatest coaches in NFL history. With a quarterback and a team built to win more, Reid isn’t done yet.
“This never gets old standing right here,” Reid said Monday about winning the Super Bowl.
