Addressing Andy Reid’s potential ‘GOAT’ status — and how many Super Bowls it might take

Former Atlanta Falcons, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Jets quarterback (and former Kansas City Chiefs coaching intern) Michael Vick recently joined the “It Needed To Be Said” podcast, hosted by former Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill.

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A positive quote (for a change) from the podcast regarding Kansas City head coach Andy Reid has been making the rounds — and it’s one that raises an interesting question.

“I was actually thinking this year like, after Andy won the Super Bowl, he only got two, but he went to like four or five NFC Championship Games [and] every year [the Chiefs were] in the AFC Championship Game,” said Vick, via USA Today and relayed by NBC Sports. “He might be the greatest coach of all time . You don’t have to win championships to be considered. You know, I understand [Bill] Belichick and [Tom] Brady and that whole dynamic. But Coach [Reid] did it in Philly, and then he doing it in KC. I’m always shout out coach like I love that man to death, like for real literally I’d do anything for him.”

As it stands, Reid is fifth all-time in wins (247), and he will pass Pro Football Hall of Fame head coach Tom Landy (250) during the upcoming season. Reid will then only trail current New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick (298) and NFL legends George Halas (318) and Don Shula (328) for the most wins in NFL history.

What is often overlooked is Reid is six years younger than Belichick — and both are still coaching. Quick math time.

Since joining the Chiefs in 2013, the club has averaged 11.7 wins per season. Rounding that up to 12 for six more seasons would put Reid at 319 wins, one ahead of Halas. It’s frequently been presumed that Reid would retire before that, but who’s to say he wouldn’t sign another five-year contract after the 2025 season?

Entering the 2030 season, Reid would be 72 years old, the same Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll will be at the conclusion of the 2023 season. Suddenly, that idea feels far less preposterous.

“GOAT” status

Belichick as the consensus (and obvious) greatest head coach of all time is well deserved. As mentioned above, the 71-year-old should threaten to have the most all-time wins — and no other head coach in NFL history even has five Super Bowl titles. Belichick has six.

But after understanding all of these what-ifs, it is worth pondering what Reid’s résumé might look like after another eight seasons of coaching quarterback Patrick Mahomes, whose start to his career has been matched by no one in NFL history.

I disagree with Vick: championships certainly do matter in this argument. But that does not mean I believe Reid — who has two — has no chance.

Can “Big Reid” and the Chiefs win three more Super Bowls in the suggested span of eight years? Four? Five? Hell, maybe the answer is none. After Kansas City won two in four years, it’s become a little too easy to assume there are multiple more titles ahead.

Still, with Mahomes, it feels possible — and that is the key. I’d bet Reid feels the same.

I have often said that while Donovan McNabb, Vick and Alex Smith were great quarterbacks, the Chiefs head coach has been waiting his entire career for a player such as Mahomes, the real-life equivalent of a player Reid would design in “Madden.” (Yes, I do also enjoy thinking about Reid hunched over with an X-box controller, creating Mahomes in a video game).

I think four titles, made possible by Mahomes, rightfully get Reid in the conversation. But with six or seven, the conversation would be over.

As with anything, time will tell.

What are your thoughts on the matter? Weigh in below.