Making the case to keep Andy Reid with the Kansas City Chiefs

Despite the emotions of many Kansas City Chiefs fans right now, Andy Reid is still the ideal coach for the team. Here’s a closer look at why.

I will not sit here and pretend a one point loss didn’t just trash an overall good season out of the boys in red. That defeat still stings a little. This goes down in infamy with the recent losses to the Pittsburgh Steelers. But, I’m here to lighten things up a bit. I will leave the other side of the story to another writer. Check out his piece here by the way. As my colleague, Britt Zank, calls for the firing of head coach Andy Reid, I am here to defend BIg Red. Let’s start with his record as the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Regular Season Record

It has been over five years since Reid was hired on by owner Clark Hunt. In fact, it was January 4th, 2013 that the deal was made official. In his five years here, Reid’s season by season record goes something like this:

2013: 11-5

2014: 9-7

2015: 11-5

2016: 12-4

2017: 10-6

Tallying them up yields an overall record of 53-27. That gives us an average of 10.6 wins every season. Round that up or down as you please, this clearly demonstrates that Reid is a winning coach. His playoff record is not quite so prolific, I realize that, but in the regular season, Big Red is one of the best. Speaking of the playoffs…

Playoff Performance

Since taking the helm, Reid has coached five playoff games in Kansas City while winning only one of them. That is nothing to write home about, but there is a bit more to the story to touch on. Prior to Reid’s hiring, the Chiefs were wallowing in perpetual mediocrity under the administration run by then GM Scott Pioli and head coaches Todd Haley/Romeo Crennel. Those teams barely had a prayer of making the playoffs let alone winning one of them.

Reid changed all of that. His first season as head coach saw the Chiefs in the playoffs. Two years later, the playoff drought would finally be over as we were delivered the first postseason win since the year I was born.

The record he owns in the postseason with the Chiefs is less than stellar, but it still must be pointed out that he was at the front of a team that is now a consistent contender for the postseason and snapped our losing streak.

Emotions, consistency, and work ethic

More from Arrowhead Addict

Before getting into this section, take the time to read this wonderful piece written by B.J. Kissel of the Chiefs. It really digs into who Reid is on and off the field. This is also something that Britt Zank pointed out in his article calling for the end of Reid. Pointed out in both places are the consistency with which our coach handles his players, press conferences, and other stressful situations. He is calm and level-headed.

That may come across to some as apathy, but there is merit to keeping oneself collected in the face of a tough situation. Looking at Reid in this light, one can easily see the confidence in himself and his team. When the Philadelphia Eagles fired him, that was the first time in his life that Reid had been fired from a coaching job. He handled himself very well from what the public saw of the situation.

Reid also demonstrates an incredible work ethic. As Kissel noted in his work, Reid would devote hours and hours to his work but also would take the time he needed to focus on his family. I get the feeling he treats his teams and staff the same way—as family.

Andy Reid is my guy, and should be yours too!

Looking at all this, his record, the indomitable spirit he shows, the consistency demonstrated, and the incredible work ethic, Andy Reid is our guy. This man is the coach we need right now. Nothing and nobody is perfect. Reid found ways to get his team out of losing slumps and salvage what could have easily been losing seasons, on multiple occasions. He has been the leader a team so broken and downtrodden needed to pull itself together and win again. Like him or not, Andy Reid is here for awhile longer yet.

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