Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid gracefully took the blame after his team’s dreams of a Super Bowl three-peat came to a crashing halt in New Orleans. The Chiefs‘ 40-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles took some sheen off what had been close to a dream season up to that point, and Reid said he didn’t coach nearly well enough to warrant a victory at the Caesars Superdome.
But football is a team sport; blaming one coach or player is a coping mechanism. Jason Kelce, the Eagles‘ former star offensive lineman, knows all about the pain of losing a Super Bowl — and he disagreed with Reid’s assessment as reactions to Super Bowl LIX continue to pour in.
“Reid couldn’t have done anything about the result,” says Kelce
During a recent podcast appearance, Kelce said that Reid — his former coach in Philadelphia — did what he could, but the Eagles’ defensive front was so overpowering that no amount of skillful coaching could have made up for the Chiefs’ weaknesses in both run and pass protection.
“I think there are always things you look back on that could have been done better,” Kelce explained on “The Steam Room“. “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.”
The Eagles constantly pressured Patrick Mahomes into making mistakes, using its size and skill along the defensive line to slow down the three-time Super Bowl MVP. Philly had built a 34-0 lead by the third quarter, and its performance might have sent Jason‘s brother Travis Kelce into retirement.
The Chiefs face several key decisions this offseason as they try to extend their Super Bowl window. While Reid has pledged to continue improving as a coach, Jason Kelce has reassured and “exonerated” him in a sporting gesture.
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