It took Bill Belichick over two decades to become the greatest postseason head coach ever. He went 31-13 in the playoffs and set a record for most games coached in the postseason with 44. But just a year after his retirement, Andy Reid is right on his heels to take that title.
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Reid is set to appear in his 45th career playoff game on Sunday. Just stepping onto the field for the Super Bowl will give him the record. However, his playoff record hasn’t been as dominant as Belichick’s.
Reid has gone 28-16 over the years, once known for his playoff struggles with the Eagles. However, he still firmly belongs on the Mount Rushmore of the greatest NFL coaches of all time — someone fans say they would “run through a wall for.”
Andy Reid will coach his 45th career postseason game tonight, surpassing Bill Belichick (44) for the most playoff games by a head coach in NFL history. pic.twitter.com/9nin105pe2
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) February 9, 2025
Fans online reacted to the soon-to-be-made record quite divisively. Some applauded Reid for achieving such a milestone, while others prodded Belichick for being a “GOAT coach” and having a better playoff record in fewer games.
Bill Belicheck Will always be the goat coach
— Drake 10 (@DrakesPats) February 9, 2025
A Head Coach that loves cheeseburgers and Football I’d run through a wall for!!
— FB on the KNOW (@fb_know) February 9, 2025
he’s too good man
— Evolve ✧ (@xqevolve) February 9, 2025
If he wins today is Andy considered the greatest coach ever?
— Jim Simmons (@jimsimmons916) February 9, 2025
The track record between Reid and Belichick is quite the journey. The two are widely regarded as some of the greatest coaches ever, and they have the stats to back it up. However, Belichick wins most of the battles. He has won eight Super Bowls to Reid’s three. If the Chiefs win the big game on Sunday, it will be Reid’s fourth—still only halfway to Belichick’s record. And who knows if Reid will coach long enough to reach that mark?
The former Pats coach also edges Reid out in the regular season, with 302 wins to Reid’s 273. Belichick coached in the NFL for 49 consecutive seasons, another record Reid likely won’t be able to touch.
That said, Reid still holds some impressive records. He’s the only coach in NFL history to notch 100 wins with two different teams. Fittingly, he’s facing off against the same team he earned the first 100 with for the second time in three seasons. Reid has also made the playoffs in 77% of his seasons as head coach, while Belichick sits at 65%.
Reid also has won with several different quarterbacks, like Donavon McNabb, Alex Smith, and Patrick Mahomes. Meanwhile, Belichick is completely tied to Tom Brady.
In conclusion, these are two of the greatest coaches ever. The only time they met in the Super Bowl was in 2005 when the Patriots captured their third title in four years. To be fair, it was just the beginning of a long career for Reid, while Belichick was in the midst of his dynasty. Once Reid moved to the AFC, their matchups were limited to the earlier rounds of the playoffs. But man, we still got some classics in the end.