As the Kansas City Chiefs rev up for another crack at Super Bowl glory, there’s one name that’s been buzzing around: Andy Reid. Let’s break it down. During the 2024 regular season, Andy Reid guided the Chiefs to operate with perfect precision and they achieved an outstanding 17-2 record. The team displayed relentless momentum while actively pursuing greatness. The Chiefs secured their postseason journey with a smooth 23-14 victory against the Houston Texans, followed by a tense 32-29 win over the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship. But why all this success?

It all comes down to one thing: Reid’s secret sauce. The iconic Hawaiian shirts he wears aren’t the secret of his success, but they play their part. It was obvious—the Chiefs were primed to win it all. And who’s backing him up with some serious respect? None other than former Philadelphia Eagles legend Brian Westbrook who believes Reid has the coaching chops to push the Chiefs to yet another championship victory. Ready for a little football love story?

Brian Westbrook on Andy Reid’s magic

Brian Westbrook, the heart and soul of the Eagles from 2002 to 2009, had an incredible career under Reid’s watch. But when Westbrook sat down with Jim Rome, he went beyond just talking stats. He talked about what made Reid great. “You mentioned Andy Reid, so let me ask you about him. He is the winningest coach in both the Eagles and the Chiefs franchise history. And I’m not gonna lie. I love the man. Love the guy,” Jim Rome was eager to know what made Reid an all-time great across two franchises, setting the stage for a heartfelt tribute to Westbrook’s old coach.

And trust us, his words are gold. Westbrook didn’t hold back: “Jim, I… I love Andy Reid as well. I literally talk to him after every game. We send text messages back and forth after every game.” Seriously, who wouldn’t want to be in that group chat? But it’s not just about texting bromance. It’s about Reid’s coaching wizardry. Westbrook continued, “His success is predicated on finding the right athletes and putting them in the position to be able to take their talents to the next level.”

For Westbrook, Reid saw his unique skills—he wasn’t a power back like Frank Gore, but Reid knew how to use him. “What Andy Reid saw in me was the ability to be in open space and make people miss… be able to catch the ball down the field, be able to run in between the tackles and outside the tackles, but not running the power type of play.”

In essence, Reid didn’t try to force players into his system—he tailored his system around them. The best years of Westbrook’s career occurred during his time with Reid and he set a record with 2,104 yards from scrimmage in 2007. The year 2004 stands out as the time when he became essential to the Eagles reaching Super Bowl XXXIX. Talk about a connection.

Reid’s legacy: More than just X’s and O’s

Remember Michael Vick and Donovan McNabb? During their time with Reid, both Michael Vick and Donovan McNabb achieved some of their best seasons. During his time with Reid as coach McNabb achieved more than 30 touchdown passes in a season while keeping his interceptions below 10. Under Reid’s guidance, McNabb became a powerful machine because Reid possessed the knowledge to unleash his full potential, and finished his career with 37,276 passing yards and 234 TDs and with his iconic 71-yard TD with Westbrook.

When Reid brought Vick to his team at a crucial time, it led to him winning NFL Comeback Player of the Year and getting a Pro Bowl invitation. Even though Vick achieved a passer rating of 100.2 during 2010, he flourished under Reid’s coaching. Now, let’s talk about that “secret trait” everyone’s buzzing about. The key to Reid’s success? Flexibility. He’s not some rigid coach who forces a scheme to fit his players. Oh no. Reid is all about making adjustments and molding the offense around what his guys do best.

As Reid himself put it, “That’s the fun part.” He’s been diving into football’s history, studying plays from as far back as the 1950s and 60s, For all of Reid’s X’s and O’s genius, Westbrook summed it up perfectly: “He puts his players in the best position for success, and he’s not too, his ego is not too big that he can’t say, okay, listen. This is the way I wanna run my offense, but our players fit something else. I’m gonna do something totally different.”

The Chiefs get ready for their showdown with the Eagles where Andy Reid’s knack for player adaptation may determine the ultimate winner. Is this Andy Reid’s third straight Super Bowl win? Only time will tell. But one thing’s for sure: Andy Reid has discovered what it takes to succeed and his strategy is performing perfectly.

So, the next time someone mentions Andy Reid’s name, remember: his role extends beyond coaching. He’s the architect of champions.