After Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes might be the most influential head coach-quarterback duo of the 21st century. Reaching five Super Bowls in six years and standing on the brink of a historic three-peat speaks volumes about their remarkable collaboration. According to Mike Mayock, what sets them apart is their self-awareness and adaptability—qualities that also define a successful marriage.
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The former NY Giants safety recently appeared on The Rich Eisen Show where he recalled his initial impression of Patrick Mahomes. Having observed the Chiefs QB during his Texas Longhorn days, Mayock formed a strong opinion about Mahomes after Draft Day—he would either become a Hall of Famer or be unemployed in four years.
Considering Mahomes wasn’t the most consistent CFB QB of that class, it was understandable that Mayock felt this way. And this is where Andy Reid’s brilliance came in. The 66-year-old Chiefs HC had done a thorough analysis of Patrick Mahomes before drafting him. He tailored a team that would accentuate his strengths while mitigating his flaws.
In Mayock’s eyes, no one does complimentary team building better than Reid and the Chiefs. It’s a challenging task to adapt to each player’s strengths and weaknesses and integrate them into a cohesive unit. Luckily for the Chiefs, Reid excels at solving complex puzzles.
“Patrick Mahomes went to the perfect place for who he is because Andy Reid is not only a Hall of Fame coach; he’s player friendly, he’s really quarterback friendly and he’s so creative in taking advantage of what a quarterback does best. So I think that marriage between Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes is the main reason why they’re in their seventh AFC Championship game in a row.”
That said, it would be naive to attribute Mahomes’ success solely to Reid. Yes, Mahomes didn’t impress much with the Longhorns, and not many expected him to be this good. But if Andy Reid is as good as we all believe, why hasn’t he won a Super Bowl with any other QB under him?
Andy Reid hit the jackpot with Patrick Mahomes
Before signing for the Chiefs, Andy Reid spent 14 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he made a solitary Super Bowl appearance.
Donovan McNabb was one of the best QBs Reid had with him during his Eagles stint, and despite that, the 66-year-old tactician constantly failed to deliver in the postseason. For context, McNabb holds the joint record for most playoff wins (9) without a Super Bowl.
The dual-threat QB wasn’t consistently clutch enough to rise on the biggest occasions, which hampered Reid’s Super Bowl aspirations with the Eagles. However, in Patrick Mahomes, Reid simply can’t stop making it to the Super Bowls. The worst finish Reid has had with Mahomes as his QB is losing the AFC Championship in overtime to Brady & Co.
As Mayock highlighted, this is truly a partnership of two talents bringing the best out of each other. A match made in heaven!
