Since that historic first Super Bowl way back in January 1967, a total of 31 coaches have gone on to win the big game. It’s a veritable who’s who of names synonymous with NFL greatness from Vince Lombardi to Bill Belichick. And if there’s one coach who’s earned the right to experience the thrill of victory in this iconic sporting event despite not having done so yet, it’s Andy Reid.
One thing is certain. Either Reid or San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan will hoist their first Lombardi Trophy this coming Sunday. In so doing, one of them will become the 32nd NFL head coach whose body of work includes the distinction of leading their team to a Super Bowl victory. And perhaps nobody else deserves to more than Reid, now in his seventh year with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Andy Reid Has a Chance to Finally Join the List of Super Bowl-Winning Head Coaches
A Return to the Super Bowl 15 Years in the Making
Sunday’s clash between the Chiefs and 49ers will be Reid’s second go-around at the Super Bowl. His first came at the conclusion of the 2004 season when he led the Philadelphia Eagles to the best record in the NFC during the regular season and beat the Minnesota Vikings and Atlanta Falcons by a combined score of 54-24 en route to Super Bowl XXXIX. It marked a huge breakthrough in Reid’s coaching career as he made the NFC title game the previous three seasons but lost each game.
But in Jacksonville, Reid faced the juggernaut that was Belichick, Tom Brady, and the New England Patriots in the early stages of their reign of dominance that would eventually span two decades. Not only was it Reid’s first Super Bowl. It would ultimately be the only one that long-time Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb and future Hall of Fame wide receiver Terrell Owens took part in.
Philly gave it their all as the game was tied 14-14 heading into the fourth quarter. But the Pats outscored them 10-0 prior to the midway point of the final stanza. And though McNabb threw a touchdown pass with under two minutes to go, New England prevailed 24-21 en route to their third Lombardi Trophy in four years.
Reid’s Gunslinger Is Ready for Showtime
15 years later and Reid is back with another chance to get the ring that has eluded him since taking the Eagles head coaching job back in 1999. And unlike Super Bowl XXXIX when his team was a seven-point underdog, they’re a narrow 1.5-point favorite against San Fran. He boasts an electrifying quarterback in Patrick Mahomes who’s playing his best football at the right time. In the Chiefs’ two playoff games, both comeback wins, Mahomes has totaled 615 yards, eight touchdowns, no interceptions with his passer rating coming in at 131.5.
As impressive as he’s been, his biggest challenge of the season will almost certainly come at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday. He faces a 49ers defense playing at as high a level in the playoffs as he is. There’s little doubt about it considering they held the Vikings to 10 points and sacked Kirk Cousins six times in the divisional round. A week later, they made Aaron Rodgers look washed up as they jumped out to a 27-0 halftime lead which all but sealed their trip to Miami.
One player who’s almost certain to make an impact on defense is Nick Bosa. The Niners edge rusher is an obvious front-runner to win defensive rookie of the year, with him combining for 12 sacks and 20 tackles for loss in the regular season and playoffs. On the back end of the defense, Mahomes must figure out how to move the ball against a Niners secondary which led the league in pass yardage per game allowed in 2019. The unit includes veteran and former Legion of Boomer Richard Sherman, who’s proving he’s still got it even after suffering a torn Achilles in his final season with the Seattle Seahawks.
Andy Reid and the Golf Analogy
Those who follow the PGA Tour are well-aware that there’s always a pro golfer who’s among the best in the world yet hasn’t been able to get a win at either The Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open, or Open Championship. It subsequently leads to a moniker following them around everywhere: “Best Golfer to Have Not Won a Major.” For the longest time, Phil Mickelson owned that title until he won the 2004 Masters in spectacular fashion, holing a putt on the 72nd hole. More recently, Sergio Garcia shed the label when he won at Augusta 13 years later.
The Super Bowl is undoubtedly the NFL’s “major.” It’s the most-watched event on television every year and winning it is the pinnacle of achievement for the players and coaches who’ve dedicated themselves to this game we all love. Reid certainly embodies such dedication. He arrives at the team facility before sunrise ready to grind and goes home after sunset. But despite that work ethic and preparation week in and week out, that signature win in the biggest game of the year has remained elusive.
That all can change on Sunday if his Chiefs triumph. If we go simply by number of wins, there’s no doubt he’s the best NFL head coach to have never won a Super Bowl. His 221 wins (14 in the playoffs) are the most among coaches without a ring and are 16 more than second-placed Marty Schottenheimer (205). That will probably lead to a sentimentality factor of sorts prompting the neutrals to pull for Reid finally dispelling this cloud that’s hovered over him for two decades now.
