As Andy Reid Succeeds in Kansas City, The Eagles Lack Direction

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Tim Reilly - September 19, 2017

Photo Credit - Denny Medley, USA TODAY Sports

Carson Wentz stood near midfield and hurled a desperate pass toward the end zone. The brief flicker of hope that arose as the ball traveled through the air was quickly snuffed. Wentz’s Hail Mary prayer went unanswered, and the Chiefs prevailed over the Eagles by a score of 27-20.

In the aftermath of the game, two truths reasserted themselves: (1) The Kansas City Chiefs are legitimate Super Bowl contenders; (2) The Lombardi Trophy remains as elusive as ever for the Eagles franchise.

The common denominator that informs both observations is Andy Reid. Since Reid was driven from the Eagles’ nest in 2012 and landed in Kansas City, his Chiefs teams have been a model of consistency. In four seasons and two games in KC, Reid has compiled a 45-21 regular season record, good for a .682 winning percentage. He inherited a Chiefs team that was in total disarray and breathed new life into the franchise. In so doing, Reid has rejuvenated his own coaching career.

Meanwhile, the Eagles’ rebuild seems to be operating on the same time frame as the I-95 construction. It turns out it hasn’t been so easy to replace the foundation that Reid laid over the course of fourteen seasons, particularly when the wrong contractor is hired for the job.

The early days of 2013 were marked with optimism and excitement in Philadelphia. With Big Red gone, the Eagles finally had a chance to soar again. Eagles fans were in such a frenzy that we talked ourselves into Gus Bradley, the putative architect of the Seahawks’ elite defense. The Eagles were apparently ready to offer Bradley the job. A local blogger fed the hysteria by tracking Bradley’s cross-country flight. We were all on board the Gus Bus!

But then, out of nowhere, the news emerged that the Eagles had hired Chip Kelly. Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie marveled at Kelly’s innovative approach. “He has a brilliant football mind. He motivates his team with his actions as well as his words,” Lurie noted in his statement announcing the hire. Continue Reading

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Jeremy Maclin says He Wanted to be the Best Receiver in Eagles History, but the Chiefs Just Wanted Him More

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Jim Adair - September 10, 2015

Photo Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Of all of the players who were Eagles last year but aren’t this year, Jeremy Maclin is probably the quietest. Many have spoken out about being former Eagles and Chip Kelly, while Maclin has remained mum on the topic. But in yesterday’s Kansas City Star, Maclin spoke of his former team and former coach with a little less vitriol than others have mustered. Instead of being mad about something, Maclin mostly seems a little bummed:

“It was tough, man; I had established a lot of relationships there and had become very comfortable up there. I kind of wanted to be remembered as being the greatest receiver ever to play there.”

But his guardian, Jeff Parres, isn’t as kind. “The bottom line is I think they tried to take advantage of his good nature,” Parres told the Star. “They knew he wanted to stay and there was really no reason they didn’t want him to stay, and they tried to take advantage of him.” Parres specifically has an issue with the post-deal perception that Maclin left for more money in Kansas City. According to the Star, in the midst of negotiations, “the Eagles called and countered by shifting money from year three of their offer to year two — which contrary to Kelly and published reports made it close enough to the same deal Maclin was offered with the Chiefs that Maclin was ready to stay.” But Andy Reid called him directly and convinced Maclin that he was more wanted with Big Red.

I can just imagine Stephen A. now: “I do not KNOW Chip Kelly. I have said this many times, Skip. And I do not WANT to know him. But how can you not GO OUT OF YOUR WAY to bring Jeremy Maclin back [incredibly long pause] but RILEY COOPER is still on your team. EXPLAIN THAT to ME SKIP. I’m not saying he’s racist, I’m JUST saying.”

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Troy Aikman Again Tells How Andy Reid Once Asked him to Quarterback the Eagles

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Jim Adair - December 17, 2014

Photo Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

In week 11 of the 2002 NFL season, Donovan McNabb went 20-for-25 for 255 yards and four touchdowns on a broken ankle in a game that will forever live in Five lore. Following that, the Eagles finished the season with Koy Detmer and A.J. Feeley under center (who went a combined 5-1) and eventually went to the NFC Championship game (with a healthy McNabb in the playoffs). But that all could have gone very differently if Troy Aikman wasn’t on vacation.

According to Aikman — retelling a story he’s told before, but making it no less insane — Andy Reid called and asked him to come out of retirement and quarterback the Eagles after McNabb went down:

“[Reid] said, ‘Hey, did you hear what happened.’ I said, ‘Yeah, we did a game break.’ He said, ‘Well I want to talk to you about coming to Philadelphia.’ I said, ‘Andy, we’re in the middle of a broadcast. It’s halftime right now.’ He said, ‘I know, I’m watching the game.’ So I said, ‘OK, I’ll call you after the game.’”

Ultimately, Aikman decided it was best to enjoy the California whether and avoid flying across the country to prepare for a game.

“I got back to Santa Barbara and this was around November or whenever it was, and I woke up and I’m thinking, ‘I can either enjoy the next couple of days in Santa Barbara, California, it’s about 65, 70 degrees, or I’m going to be on a plane flying to Philadelphia and probably going to be playing on Monday night against the 49ers,’” Aikman said.

Turning down the offer allowed many Eagles and Cowboys fans to never have to face the strange emotions that would have come with Aikman wearing Eagles green (especially in Week 13 at the Vet). So really, he saved us all, and we were fine with Koy… and then A.J.

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You’ll Never Guess Which Team Signed Kurt Coleman

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Kyle Scott - September 2, 2014

via LSUFreek

Three months after admitting that he’s better off staying out of the way on personnel decisions, and just a month after reaffirming his belief in 1960s old ball coach tactics, Andy Reid and his Chiefs have signed former Eagles (failed) draft picks Mike McGlynn and, now, Kurt Coleman.

From the National Football Post:

Veteran safety Kurt Coleman has joined the Kansas City Chiefs, according to his agent, Blake Baratz.

Coleman was cut by the Minnesota Vikings.

Coleman, 25, is a former Ohio State standout drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the seventh round of the 2010 NFL draft.

Said Reid in June:

“About a year ago, I found out what I wasn’t good at because [I was] out the door,” said Reid, now the Kansas City Chiefs coach. “I went back, and I looked at it, and . . . I drifted away from the thing I love doing most, and that was coaching.”

“I took [myself] completely out, dealt more with personnel . . . stopped calling the plays, all those things,” Reid said.

And in the past week the Chiefs have signed McGlynn and Coleman. I’m telling you, the firefighter is next.

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