The Kansas City Chiefs are Super Bowl-bound and Chiefs’ fans are not the only ones happy about this. On the East Coast, they now have another legion of fans rooting for them to walk away victorious February 2nd against the San Francisco 49ers. Once an Eagle, always an Eagle is the motto fans take in Philadelphia with certain players. And with that said, the FlyEaglesFly chants will be extended to Andy Reid and LeSean McCoy.
While some Eagles’ fans will deny it, deep down, this is still a victory. Reid brought the Philadelphia Eagles back from the darkness. His time in Philadelphia produced legends for the city and he guided the team to six division titles, one NFC title, and countless wins.
There were some hiccups along the way but what coach has not endured them over time? His playcalling often came under fire as well as his knack for terrible clock management. But in the end, name one player who would not run through a wall for Reid if he asked them to? His departure from Philly was bittersweet. While it was time for him and the team to move on, it still hurt to see him go. Now, here he is, at the pinnacle of a coach’s dream.
Andy Reid gets a chance to redeem himself for the mistakes he made against the New England Patriots in 2005. As good as it is for him to get that shot, he’s earned it the right way.
Reid took over a Chiefs’ team that was like the Eagles before he got there. Past success was not leading to wins and the future was not bright. Reid had to strip the team and build them from the ground up with his own vision. It took some time, but before long, there was a Tyreek Hill, Pat Mahomes, Chris Jones, Travis Kelce, and now McCoy.
But if Eagles’ fans want to know just how important Reid has been for the organization, look no further than Doug Pederson and Nick Foles. Without Reid’s guidance, the Eagles would still be searching for their first-ever Super Bowl Championship. It was Reid who pushed for Pederson to get the Eagles job. It’s Reid where Pederson gets his risky playcalling and hands-on approach to the game.
Then, let’s not forget the missing link to all of this–Foles. The backup QB was ready to call it a career until Reid talked him out of it. By this time, Reid had his QB in Alex Smith and the future of the team in Mahomes. Instead of walking away, it was Reid who convinced him to follow Pederson to Philly and that changed everything.
As for the durable back McCoy, he should have been on that Eagles’ roster in 2017. With the team hurting for backs, the Eagles made a move that gave them Jay Ajayi when many felt they should have made a trade so get Shady back. In the end, it worked out for the Eagles but there would always be that what if question lingering in McCoy’s and Eagles’ fans heads.
In his 11th season, McCoy, if healthy will make his Super Bowl debut. This is something beautiful as Eagles’ fans have cheered him on even after he left for Buffalo. He was a great player for the Eagles but when Chip Kelly took over for Andy Reid, McCoy was treated as if he wasn’t one of the best two-way backs in the NFL at the time.
Back together again, the coach and the pupil can put all the nonsense behind them at sit atop the NFL. It had to sting a bit as both player and coach sat and watched their old team hold that elusive trophy. Now it’s their time to shine and while Kansas City Chiefs’ fans are excited for the franchise, for Eagles’ fans, it’s admiration for Andy Reid and LeSean McCoy.