Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has elevated his status to a different level since leaving Philadelphia. The 65-year-old coach began his NFL coaching career in 1992 as an offensive assistant for the Green Bay Packers. He climbed up the ladder of the Packers coaching staff to become the quarterbacks coach in 1997, but he did not last long in the North. Instead, he moved to the City of Brotherly Love in 1999 and was named the Eagles head coach.
Reid was the first person to be hired as a head coach without first having served as an offensive or defensive coordinator in the National Football League. However, he came with glowing recommendations from then-San Francisco 49ers head coach Steve Mariucci. The rest, as they say, is history.
Reid's 386 games as a head coach ranks fifth all-time, and only trails New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick among all active coaches. The accolades go on and on, but success has followed him everywhere in the NFL. He is the only head coach to win 100 games and appear in four consecutive conference championships with two different franchises.
Having led two different teams for more than 10 years each, Reid has crossed paths with many current NFL head coaches. Reid's coaching tree spans far and wide, with each product having different degrees of success. It is the offseason, so why not look at Reid's coaching tree and rank each head coaching product? Starting at the top...
1. John Harbaugh
John Harbaugh was hired by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1998 and retained by Reid in 1999. Only three other assistant coaches stayed in Philadelphia after Ray Rhodes left. In 2004, there were discussions about Harbaugh potentially becoming the head coach at Western Michigan University, where he had previously worked as an assistant coach.
In 2007, he transitioned from being the Eagles' special teams coach to becoming their defensive backs coach. This move was made to enhance his chances of being considered for a head coaching position, as special teams coaches were often seen as less qualified for such roles at the time. The move worked, as Harbaugh became the Baltimore Ravens head coach ahead of the 2008 season.
Like Reid, Harbaugh's hire came after a sterling recommendation. Belichick recommended Harbaugh to Ravens' leadership, looking past his lacking experience. That gamble has certainly paid off, rewarding the franchise with a Lombardi Trophy following the 2012 season.
Harbaugh only has two losing seasons since taking over the Ravens, totaling a record of 147-95. The team's 158 total wins, including the postseason, are the fourth-most by any team since 2008. His 242 games coached, 11 postseason wins, and .607 winning percentage lead all Ravens' coaches. He is still tied with Brian Billick, as both have a Super Bowl win to their name.
At 60 years old, Harbaugh is now among the eldest of NFL head coaches, but he has maintained success no matter the man starting under center or the quality of his supporting cast.
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