Andrew Trainer

Andrew Trainer's Biography

Andrew Walter Reid, the acclaimed head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs in the National Football League (NFL), was born on March 19, 1958, in Los Angeles, California. From his early years in coaching with the Philadelphia Eagles to the revitalization of the Kansas City Chiefs, Reid’s coaching career has been filled with significant accomplishments. His impressive record includes being the only NFL coach to win 100 games and appear in four consecutive conferences with two different franchises. Within his coaching career, spanning decades, he has built a reputation for shaping football players into top performers and resurrecting franchises that have fallen on hard times.

Reid’s entry into professional coaching began with the Green Bay Packers, where he worked as an offensive assistant from 1992 to 1998. As part of this successful team, Reid celebrated victory during Super Bowl XXXI. Following his stint with the Packers, Reid moved on to head coaching with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1999. Over time, Reid’s influence took the team from mediocrity to perennial postseason contenders.

Under Reid’s leadership, the Eagles clinched nine playoff runs, six division titles, made it to five NFC Championship Games, and even advanced to Super Bowl XXXIX. Yet, despite this success, a Super Bowl title eluded Reid, leading to his dismissal from Philadelphia in 2012 after 13 years at the helm.

Following his time in Philadelphia, Reid was appointed head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2013. With Reid leading the way, the Chiefs experienced a transformative comeback as he drove the team to 10 postseason appearances, including eight consecutive division titles and six AFC Championship Games. Under his tenure, the Chiefs achieved four Super Bowl appearances and claimed three Super Bowl titles. His transformative influence extended to the Chiefs finally winning their first playoff game since 1993 during the 2015 season and clinching their first Super Bowl title in 50 years in Super Bowl LIV.

However, it’s also crucial to highlight Reid’s early life, which significantly shaped his coaching career. Reid grew up in the East Hollywood neighborhood, playing youth sports at the Lemon Grove Recreation Center. As a teenager, he earned his keep vending at Dodger Stadium and received his early football coaching from Pete Arbogast, the famed play-by-play announcer for the Cincinnati Bengals and the USC football team.

Reid’s talent revealed itself in his youth. At 13, he participated in the Punt, Pass, and Kick competition on Monday Night Football. His size was so large for his age that he had to wear adult-sized jerseys. Reid moved on to be an offensive tackle at Glendale Community College before an injury changed the trajectory of his career. On a recruitment trip, LaVell Edwards, BYU head coach, included Reid to convince his desired target, Reid’s best friend, Randy Tidwell, to come to BYU. After this, Reid became an integral part of BYU’s football team.

Reid was deeply analytical and observant, studying Edwards and offensive coordinator Doug Scovil closely. This trait was instrumental when BYU won the Holiday Bowl during his senior year in 1980. At first, Reid wanted to become a writer, but a series of events led him to consider coaching as a career. Reid’s curiosity and thirst for knowledge about football strategies led Edwards to steer him towards a coaching career.

Upon graduation from BYU, Reid spent time as a graduate assistant on the school’s football coaching staff, working alongside Scovil, Norm Chow, and Mike Holmgren. Soon after, he embarked on a prolific nine-year stint as an offensive line coach at various colleges. His coaching career journey took him through Northern Arizona University, San Francisco State, the University of Texas at El Paso, and the University of Missouri as he mastered his craft.

During his time at Northern Arizona in 1986, he coached Frank Pollack, who later played for the San Francisco 49ers for six seasons. Reid’s coaching expertise was recognized when Holmgren, his former colleague at BYU, brought him aboard the Green Bay Packers team in 1992. Reid’s tenure at the Packers included a Super Bowl XXXI win over the New England Patriots. Despite other career opportunities, Reid chose to stay with the Packers, becoming the quarterbacks’ coach in 1997.

Reid’s dedication and focus were clear when he presented a five-inch-thick coaching strategy book at his Philadelphia Eagles job interview. He assumed head coaching duties for the team in 1999, making significant changes such as drafting dual-threat quarterback Donovan McNabb. As head coach of the Eagles, Reid made it to five NFC Championship games and sent 19 players to 44 Pro Bowl appearances, marking the highest total for any team in the NFL during that time. However, the lack of a Super Bowl title led to Reid leaving the Eagles in 2012.

After Reid’s departure from the Eagles, he immediately began preparing to form a new team. His extensive preparations resulted in his appointment as the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2013. His leadership transformed the Chiefs into a formidable team, which continues to enjoy a successful trajectory to this day. Over his eleven seasons with Kansas City, the team made ten postseason appearances, three Super Bowl titles, and won their first Super Bowl in 50 years in Super Bowl LIV.

The might of Andrew Walter Reid is more than just a coach that grasps the complex dynamics of playbooks. He is a molder of talent and an architect of success in the NFL. His influence extends beyond the players he has coached and the teams he has led. He has shaped the larger tapestry of American football in ways that are truly profound.