Andy Reid’s star continues to rise in the ever-evolving landscape of NFL coaching. With Bill Belichick out of this year’s coaching cycle, many now view Reid as the league’s top tactician. But can he overtake Belichick as the greatest coach in NFL history? Colin Cowherd and Danny Parkins recently tackled this intriguing question on Cowherd’s podcast.
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To begin with, Cowherd proposed a compelling theory about Reid’s success. He sees Reid as a “teacher” – a quality that explains why his assistants, quarterbacks, and entire teams often thrive. In contrast, Cowherd views Belichick as more of an “authoritarian,” even though an intelligent one.
He then drew parallels between Reid and other offensive masterminds like Bill Walsh and Mike Holmgren, praising their ability to share wisdom.
“Teachers succeed. If you look at Bill Walsh, Mike Holmgren, Andy Reid, many of the great offensive coaches intellectually, shared wisdom. A lot of the defensive coaches, coaching trees, they were culture builders, they were authoritative. They’re not teachers and I don’t think Belichick is.” Colin said.
Expanding on his point, Cowherd highlighted Belichick’s preference for tough, Northeast-bred players who could handle his harsh feedback. This approach, he argued, reinforced Belichick’s reputation as a demanding coach. Reid, however, takes a different tack. He creates a classroom-like environment, mentoring his players and staff continuously.
“Both work, by the way, clearly,” Cowherd added. He then posed a hypothetical: if Reid were to win three consecutive Super Bowls, Cowherd would consider him “the best football coach ever.”
While Parkins agreed with the notion that “coaching is teaching,” he remained skeptical about the Kansas City Chiefs‘ head coach surpassing Belichick’s Super Bowl tally.
Parkins Praises Reid But Doubts He Will Surpass Belichick
Parkins weighed in on the debate, acknowledging Reid’s remarkable ability to bring out the best in his quarterbacks. He pointed out that every signal-caller under Reid’s guidance has enjoyed career-best seasons. However, Parkins was quick to temper expectations about Reid’s ultimate legacy.
“We are such a Rings culture and he obviously won’t catch Belichick,” Parkins said. He further argued that this reality might prevent Reid from being universally hailed as the NFL’s greatest coach upon retirement.
Yet Parkins didn’t shy away from highlighting Reid’s strengths. He drew attention to a crucial distinction between the two coaching giants. While Belichick has struggled to maintain a winning record post-Tom Brady, Reid has consistently found success with different quarterbacks who also had different playing styles.
In Parkins’ view, this adaptability cements Reid’s status as the NFL’s premier coach today. He went so far as to say that currently, no one in the league comes close to matching Reid’s prowess on the sidelines.
