It took 21 years, but Andy Reid is finally a Super Bowl-winning head coach.
On Monday morning — less than 12 hours after the marquee win — Reid told media members he had yet to sleep, having spent the night celebrating with family, friends and the team he and Kansas City will remember forever.
“I’d tell you it’s awesome,” said Reid. “I’m not sure it’s completely settled in, but it’s a great experience, especially doing it with one of the guys I was able to do it with — the organization. We all know that it’s not a one-man show. It takes a team to get there — not just the players, not just the coaches, but everybody. That’s the part you think about when you sit back — all the hard work everybody’s done to get you to this point right here.”
Like clockwork at this point, Reid’s quarterback echoed his words when it was his turn at the podium.
“In reality, you never could have imagined what this feels like,” said Patrick Mahomes, Super Bowl LIV’s most valuable player. “It’s surreal to be a Super Bowl champion, to know all the hard work you put in every single day, that’s paid off in being the champs and being the champs with your brothers. You can never think of that, but it’s awesome, to know that these guys that are with me, we’ve all strived to get this goal together. Every single day, we understand it’s a long process and we put the work in to be on top in the end. You know all that hard work has paid off.”
In an ideal world, Mahomes explained, the Chiefs keep as many players from the championship team together this offseason.
“We built a brotherhood with this team,” said “I think that’s the biggest thing, and I think you can see it in the way we play and how we support each other.”
The Chiefs are due to have 20 players become unrestricted free agents this offseason, including Chris Jones, Kendall Fuller and Reggie Ragland
“We obviously want to keep as many people here, keep as many people Kansas City Chiefs and keep this brotherhood going. So for me, obviously, we want to win a lot of football games, but I just think more than anything, I just want to be around these guys, and be around these guys every single day because I know they’re going to work to be the best they can be on and off the field every single opportunity they get.”
No matter who else remains on the title team, it appears Andy Reid will be back.
Reid is 61, and he turns 62 in March. With the Super Bowl title being the last bullet point needed for his Pro Football Hall of Fame resume, one might wonder whether he would consider retiring on top.
“I haven’t,” said Reid. “I still enjoy doing what I’m doing. I got this young quarterback over here that makes life easy. Every day, it’s a pleasure to come to work and know that you have an opportunity to coach him and his teammates. And Brett Veach understands what it takes to win, number one. Also, the kind of people that we enjoy working with, so he brings those kind of guys in, makes it enjoyable. So I really haven’t gone there.”
And that is the news most of the NFL fraternity wanted to hear.
Reid is one of the game’s most beloved figures, and that was never the more evident after the game when Reid opened his phone to check his messages.
“There have been hundreds,” he added. “It’s humbling. I appreciate it. Somewhere, they’ve all touched your life and made you a better person. It’s a humbling deal.”