Jason Kelce has defended head coach Andy Reid after the Kansas City Chiefs star was told he should step down following Super Bowl LIX…
Jason Kelce has told Andy Reid that the Philadelphia Eagles’ overwhelming dominance of the Kansas City Chiefs at Super Bowl LIX was unstoppable.
The Eagles exhibited pure superiority this year at the Super Bowl, as their defence relentlessly hammered the Chiefs for most of the game.
They restricted the Chiefs to a low 23 yards overall in the first half, forcing Patrick Mahomes into two crucial interceptions. Both incidents led directly to two touchdowns for the Eagles, putting them up by 14 and an overall 24-0 lead by halftime.
By the time the third quarter came around, the Eagles had soared to a staggering 34-0 lead, pressuring Mahomes right up until the brink of the final quarter before he finally broke through to score. Whilst the end result – a 40-22 scoreline – somewhat flattered the Chiefs, it was clear they were outmatched by the Eagles and missed out on what could have been a landmark victory.
Chiefs’ head coach Reid openly acknowledged in a post-game debrief with the media that it had been a “rough day” for the team, candidly admitting his shortcomings. The veteran coach said: “Today was a rough day.
“We didn’t really play well in any of the phases. I didn’t coach good enough. They did a nice job. I’m proud of our guys, though, for the battle, the fight that they put in throughout the year, and all the games that they played here over the last few years.”
Reid added: “We’ll learn from this. Like most games here, when you don’t do very well, you learn from it as a coach, you learn from it as a player, and you move on. You get this far, you’ve battled your tail off to get this far, very, very hard to do. We spend a lot of time doing this. It’s not a hobby. We’re in it the whole way. Spent a lot of hours doing it, as players, as coaches.
“So it’s gonna hurt. They all hurt, when you get to this level, and these things happen, three-peat aside or any of that stuff. You get this far, and you don’t play as well as you want to, that hurts.”
However, former Eagles centre and Philadelphia legend Jason – brother of Chiefs tight end Travis – has suggested that there wasn’t much Reid could have done to change the outcome against his old team.
Reid had blamed the Super Bowl LIX loss on his coaching (Image: Getty)
While appearing on The Steam Room with Ernie Johnson and Charles Barkley, the elder Kelce brother said: “If they’re getting home with four, it’s going to be hard. They were so dominant up front-Philadelphia in that game. You can go to boots and play action to try and throw them off their pass rush, but when you’re not successful on first or second down and getting into conducive situations on third down, it will be really hard.
“I think there are always things you look back on that could have been done better… I don’t know if Andy could have done much, to be honest with you. I think that was a team that very evidently needs to improve that position this offseason.” Kelce’s comments shows how much he rates Reid, insisting that the Eagles victory was not down to him.
Kelce’s defence of Reid came amidst criticism from FOX Sports radio host Rob Parker, who suggested that the Chiefs’ head coach should step down from his position. Parker argued that the sport has evolved past Reid and criticised him for a lack of preparation against the Eagles.
The Chiefs were dominated by the Eagles at Super Bowl LIX (Image: Getty)
The outspoken radio host said: “Andy Reid should step down as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs. And you’re going to be like, ‘They just went to the Super Bowl three times. Andy Reid blah, blah, blah.’ This is not a one-game reaction because they lost in the Super Bowl, and they got boat-raced – it was 40-6.
“Where were the adjustments? Where was the game plan? I’m not a football coach. Guys who were football coaches and players questioned the game plan – no running game to start at all. And then you get behind, and then you gotta pass.”
Parker also looked back at Reid’s time in Philadelphia, and he added, “This is what he did in Philadelphia all the time – pass happy. Always throwing the ball; they got tired of that in Philadelphia.”
Parker then criticised Reid’s management of Mahomes and implied that the Chiefs’ 2023 Super Bowl victory masked underlying issues. He said: “Number two, this fall off the cliff is two years in the making.
“Last year, they won the Super Bowl, so it covered up how bad things were. You remember with the receivers, and the struggles, and Patrick Mahomes. Here’s another year. Andy Reid is supposed to be an offensive genius. Why is Patrick Mahomes struggling so much when you can’t figure out a way to get him off and to get him to be not 50 touchdowns and throwing every ball downfield but way better? Can you admit Patrick Mahomes hasn’t been the same quarterback the last two years?
“Andy Reid is supposed to be that guy, and yet, we haven’t seen it. It’s been a nice run. The last two years have been disappointing regular seasons. Yes, they went to the Super Bowl. Yes, [they] won both those times. I’m not talking about the last two years. And this year, they got embarrassed.
“The offence isn’t where it used to be. It’s taken two steps back; that’s all I’m saying. How about somebody else who’s got some other ideas?”
Parker argued that Reid isn’t getting the best out of Mahomes (Image: Getty)
Despite such critiques, Coach Reid has the unwavering backing of franchise owner Clark Hunt, who spoke about the 66-year-old’s commitment to stay at Arrowhead Stadium through the 2025 season.
Hunt said: “I was always surprised when I heard those rumours [of Reid’s retirement], because I know how much fun Andy’s having. He, in a lot of ways, is rejuvenated by the success the team’s had.
“Certainly, he’s matched with the quarterback that’s the perfect complement for him in Patrick [Mahomes]. I know he loves what he’s doing. I know for a fact he’s going to be back next year.”
