The Reid-Pederson Dynamic: A Study in Coaching Success

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid is arguably one of the most successful coaches in NFL history. Being among the top five winningest active coaches is a testament to his winning ability as a coach.

He is also considered one of the best offensive play-callers in the NFL, coming up with unconventional plays that leave the opponent's defense in awe or confused about what's going on, and before they realize it, it's too late.

What he has been able to achieve with the Chiefs in recent years is nothing short of remarkable, and his guidance has taken Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes to elite status among the most talented.

Not only is Reid a great coach for players, but he also excels as a mentor and master to upcoming coaches. He has mentored more than ten coaches who have gone on to become head coaches in the NFL.

Kansas City Chiefs Andy Reid

These coaches were once members of his coaching staff and have greatly benefited from his teachings. Some of these coaches include John Harbaugh (Baltimore Ravens), Doug Pederson (Jacksonville Jaguars), Sean McDermott (Buffalo Bills), and the list goes on.

It is safe to say that among the coaches who have taken guidance and tutelage from Reid, the one with the longest history with him is Doug Pederson, the head coach of the Jaguars.

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Reid vs. Pederson: A timeline of their relationship ahead of the Divisional Finals

Philadelphia Eagles vs Kansas City Chiefs in 2017

Pederson's relationship with Andy Reid has spanned thirty years, taking on different shapes at different points in time. Their first encounter was in 1995 when Pederson tried out for the Green Bay Packers as a backup quarterback after injuries to starter Brett Favre and backup Ty Detmer.

Pederson signed with the Packers as their third-choice quarterback, and Reid was their assistant offensive line coach. In 1996, they both won a Super Bowl, though Pederson made a brief appearance in one game that season but had no stats.

In 1997, Reid was promoted to quarterback coach, and Pederson signed a new two-year contract as the third-choice quarterback for the Packers.

In 1999, Reid was hired as the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, and he signed Pederson to a three-year, $4.5 million contract. This was Pederson's biggest contract.

Pederson started nine games for the Eagles that season, even though the Eagles drafted Donovan McNabb in the 1999 NFL draft as the second overall pick. Unfortunately, the Eagles released Pederson in August of 2000 due to a poor run of form.

On January 29, 2009, Pederson was hired as the quality control coach for the Eagles, ten years after Reid had signed him as their quarterback. Pederson was later promoted in 2011 to the position of quarterback coach.

After failing to win a Super Bowl, Reid left the Eagles for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2013 and took Pederson with him as the offensive coach. Pederson would go on to prove that he learned a lot when he was given the responsibility of calling plays after a 1-5 start to the season.

The Chiefs went on to win their next ten games, putting Pederson on many teams' coaching radar.

Tennessee Titans v Jacksonville Jaguars

In 2016, Pederson was hired as the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. He won the Super Bowl in his second year as head coach of the Eagles, making him one of four individuals to have won the Super Bowl as both a player and coach.

He was fired in 2021 after a dispute with the team regarding the coaching staff. Pederson took a year off from coaching but returned as the head coach of the Jaguars in 2022.

Under his leadership, he revitalized the Jaguars, leading them to win their division and proceed to the playoffs for the first time since 2017.

Pederson proved his coaching prowess when he led the Jaguars to the third-biggest comeback win in playoff history. He won the game over the Los Angeles Chargers despite a plus-five turnover differential.

Today, the Jacksonville Jaguars will face the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round of the playoffs. It will be a showdown between the teacher and student, mentor and protégé. This will be the ultimate test to see if the student has surpassed the master.