As the media frenzy builds ahead of Sunday’s Super Bowl 54 in Miami, the Chiefs players are all getting behind the mantra of “win one for Andy”. Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid already ranks in the upper echelon of NFL coaches but lacks the biggest prize on offer in the games.
The Chiefs enter Sunday’s showpiece finale as the favorites over the San Francisco 49ers.
Andy Reid Chiefs focus for Super Bowl 54
Already sitting 7th on the all-time winningest coaches list, the only thing missing from Chiefs HC Andy Reid’s accomplishments is a Super Bowl win. He is one of only three head coaches in the top ten without a Championship, the others being Dan Reeves and Marty Schottenheimer.
Andy Reid will join an exclusive club on Sunday as only the 7th Head Coach to lead two different franchises to the Super Bowl. Of the other six, only John Fox (Panthers and Broncos) and Dan Reeves (Broncos and Falcons) have failed to win a Championship. These are records Andy Reid will be looking to break on Sunday.
Reid’s previous Super Bowl appearance came as HC of the Eagles in Super Bowl 39. A close-fought 24-21 battle with the New England Patriots that saw an attempted Eagles comeback fall just short in the fourth quarter.
For their part, the players are all getting behind this message. But the motivation may not be quite as generous as it first appears. Throughout his career, Reid has been the master of trying to remove the pressure from his players, and this appears to be another move on that front. By making this all about winning one for the big guy, the pressure lessens ever so slightly on those players.
I think for Kansas City, man it’s definitely a big thing for everyone and not just for Kansas City. I think Coach Reid deserves one. He’s one of the top coaches in this league. He’s one the top coaches I’ve ever had and I think himself in general and this organization deserve a ring. I think everyone on this team deserves one.
Sammy Watkins, Chiefs WR
Patrick Mahomes reiterated the teams’ desire to win one for their Head Coach, saying “We want to go out there; we wanna play our best football. We know we’re playing a great opponent, but we’re gonna try to win the game and get one for Coach [Andy] Reid. Get one for Kansas City.”
Super Bowl 54 a chance at redemption for Chiefs
After last season’s heartbreaking OT loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game, the Chiefs will see this game as a chance to exorcise some demons. They have had to come from behind in both games in the playoffs this season, and their offense has shown just how potent it can be.
With all of their players healthy for Super Bowl 54, the Chiefs will fancy their chances of putting up some points on the 49ers, who finished 2018 with a 4-12 record.
The 49ers for their part used that disappointing 2018 season to retool in the 2019 draft for this run to the big game. Drafting NFL Defensive Rookie of the year Nick Bosa with the number 2 pick, and WR Deebo Samuel with the 36th pick. With the return of health QB Jimmy Garoppolo, the 49ers have produced one of the most stunning bounce-back seasons in the history of the NFL.
The 49ers boasted the second-most points per game in the NFL in 2019 with 29.9. The Chiefs were only slightly behind at 28.2 ppg. Defensively the teams were even more evenly matched with the Chiefs conceding just 19.3 points per game compared to the 49ers 19.4.
Super Bowl 54 has all the makings of a classic, and the Chiefs players are hoping they can finally get one for Andy Reid.