Five moves that propelled the KC Chiefs to Super Bowl LIV
1. Fading on Shady
One of the criticisms of future Hall of Fame coach Andy Reid has been that he has, at times, been loyal to a fault. The aforementioned Bob Sutton is one such example: sticking with someone because of your history with them.
Another example, early this season, was running back LeSean McCoy. The Chiefs traded presumptive lead back Carlos Hyde and signed LeSean McCoy shortly before the season began.
The hope, obviously, was that McCoy had gas left in the tank and something to prove. It was painfully obvious by midseason that he was not going to be the game-changing back he’s been in the past, especially due to untimely fumbles. While many speculated that McCoy was being “saved for the playoffs.” anyone watching him in this offense could tell that he was done.
Fortunately, in the knick of time, Reid came to this realization and, more importantly, acted on it. Despite his history with McCoy and loyalty to that history, Reid made McCoy a healthy scratch in Week 16 and the former Eagles and Bills running back hasn’t seen the field since.
Maybe McCoy is active for the Super Bowl. Maybe he even gets a carry or two in the later parts of the game as the Chiefs are milking the clock. But, Damien Williams has a firm grasp on the lead back position, and McCoy has no hope of taking back those reigns.
Earlier in his career, Reid may still be rolling out McCoy for 12-15 carries per game. This year, though, one of Reid’s best moves was to show McCoy the bench and move forward with the better back. That decision has been integral in getting the offense rolling and it has helped propel the team to Miami for Super Bowl LIV.