Even after winning his third Super Bowl in five years with the Kansas City Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes doesn’t want to compare himself with Tom Brady yet. But he dares to consider Andy Reid as the greatest coach in NFL history.
“He’s one of the best coaches of all time,” Mahomes said, via CBS Sports. “I believe he’s the best coach of all time. I mean, I know he doesn’t have the trophies yet. I have a lot of respect for some of those great coaches. But the way he is able to navigate every single team he has, continues to have success no matter where he’s at.“
While the GOAT debate seems to be reduced to Brady and now Mahomes for players, the conversation is wide open when it comes to coaches. Many argue Bill Belichick owns that label due to his six Super Bowl rings, while others make a case for the likes of Chuck Noll (four rings) or Don Shula (two).
Reid, 65, has matched the number of championships won by Joe Gibbs and Bill Walsh by winning his third ring in Kansas City. But Mahomes considers him as the best coach of all time regardless of his trophies, as he gives Reid much of the credit for his own success.
Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs and head coach Andy Reid speak before a game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on January 07, 2024 in Inglewood, California.
“For me, he brings out the best in me because he lets me be me, and I think that’s important. He doesn’t try to make me anyone else. I don’t think that I’d be the quarterback that I am if I didn’t have Coach Reid being my head coach. Other than that, he wants you to be the best person you can be, and that’s something that I truly think is special.”
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Reid will be back in 2024
One of the biggest questions around the Chiefs this postseason was whether Reid would come back next year. This became a topic mostly because Reid was left as the oldest active coach in the league with Belichick and Pete Carroll leaving their respective teams, but the 65-year-old plans to stay to chase a three-peat.
“I actually haven’t even thought about [retiring],” Reid said. “I get asked it. I’m still kind of in awe of the game and what went on there, so, I really haven’t thought why or what or anything else. But people keep asking me. I keep saying, ‘Why did [Bill] Belichick and Pete [Carroll] retire?’ Ask those old guys that question. I’m the old guy now, so I guess I’m going to be asked that. And I really haven’t gone there. I really haven’t thought about it.“
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Reid’s comments are definitely music to Mahomes and company’s ears, as he’s been the brain behind their success in recent years. In 2024, Kansas City will try and become the first team to win the Super Bowl in three consecutive years.
Reid, meanwhile, could continue to cement his legacy in the league. He is the fourth coach with more regular-season wins in NFL history with 258, only behind Don Shula (328), George Halas (318) and Belichick (302), while his 26 playoff wins are just five shy of Belichick.
