Andy Reid

Andrew Walter Reid, born March 19, 1958, in Los Angeles, is the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs. Before that, he ran the Philadelphia Eagles from 1999 to 2012, also serving as their executive vice president of football operations from 2001 onward. Reid holds the record for longest tenure among active NFL coaches. He is the only head coach to win 100 games with two different franchises and the only one to reach four straight conference championship games with two different teams. Many regard him as one of the greatest coaches in NFL history.

Reid’s pro coaching career began with the Green Bay Packers, where he worked as an offensive assistant from 1992 to 1998 and was part of the squad that won Super Bowl XXXI. He got his first head coaching job with the Eagles in 1999, turning them into regular playoff contenders. Under Reid, Philadelphia made nine playoff appearances, won six division titles, reached five NFC Championship Games (four in a row from 2001 to 2004), and played in Super Bowl XXXIX. He was let go after the 2012 season, following two straight years without a postseason berth.

Taking over the Chiefs in 2013, Reid revived a struggling franchise. Over 13 seasons in Kansas City, he has guided the team to 11 playoff trips, nine straight division crowns, seven consecutive AFC Championship Games, five Super Bowl appearances (including three in a row), and three Super Bowl victories. Highlights include the Chiefs’ first playoff win since 1993 in the 2015 season, their first back-to-back division titles ever, and their first Super Bowl championship in 50 years with Super Bowl LIV.

Reid grew up in Los Angeles, attending John Marshall High School and working as a vendor at Dodger Stadium as a teen. He first grew his mustache while sailing as a cadet on the TS Golden Bear at the California Maritime Academy. He played youth sports at Lemon Grove Recreation Center in East Hollywood, where Pete Arbogast—later a USC football radio announcer and Cincinnati Bengals play-by-play man—coached him. At age 13 in 1971, Reid appeared on Monday Night Football for a Punt, Pass, and Kick competition; he was so big he wore the jersey of Les Josephson, a 6-foot, 207-pound NFL player.

In high school, Reid played football for coach Hiroshi Tanaka at Marshall, earning scholar athlete, MVP, all-league, all-city, and All-American honors. He also made all-league as a pitcher in baseball. He played offensive tackle at Glendale Community College, where he was named all-conference and most inspirational player, but a knee injury derailed his plan to transfer to Stanford. BYU head coach LaVell Edwards recruited Reid to help persuade his teammate and best friend Randy Tidwell to join the Cougars. At BYU, Reid played alongside Jim McMahon and Tom Holmoe. Teammates said he didn’t see much playing time but was highly analytical, closely studying Edwards and offensive coordinator Doug Scovil. BYU won the 1980 Holiday Bowl in his senior year.

Reid initially considered becoming a writer, but after constantly questioning Edwards about football strategy, Edwards suggested coaching. After graduating from BYU in 1981, Reid spent a year as a graduate assistant on the school’s staff, working with Scovil, Norm Chow, and Mike Holmgren. He then spent nine years as an offensive line coach at four colleges: San Francisco State, Northern Arizona University, the University of Texas at El Paso, and the University of Missouri. At Northern Arizona in 1986, he coached Frank Pollack, who later played six seasons for the San Francisco 49ers.

Holmgren hired Reid for the Green Bay Packers in 1992, the same year Brett Favre joined the team, placing Reid in the Bill Walsh coaching tree. In 1995, he became assistant offensive line and tight ends coach, helping the 1996 team win Super Bowl XXXI over the New England Patriots. He was promoted to quarterbacks coach in 1997, replacing Marty Mornhinweg. Steve Mariucci wanted Reid as his offensive coordinator in San Francisco, but Holmgren blocked the move.

Reid arrived at his Eagles interview with a five-inch-thick book detailing his plan for running the team. Philadelphia hired him on January 11, 1999, making him the second-youngest head coach in the league after Jon Gruden and the first hired as a head coach without prior coordinator experience. Some local media criticized the choice, noting other candidates with successful head coaching backgrounds were available. One of Reid’s first major moves was drafting quarterback Donovan McNabb with the second overall pick, though he started former Packers backup Doug Pederson for the first nine games of 1999. The Eagles improved to 5–11 in Reid’s first season, two wins better than 1998.