It’s almost a certainty to this point that Andy Reid will be fired as coach of the Eagles after the season. It’s only an almost certainty because owner Jeff Lurie said last year that average wasn’t good enough and Reid will not survive another average year. The best the Eagles could finish this season before their game tonight against the Cowboys is 8-8, which is average. So, Mark Eckel of the Times of Trenton has an interesting report. According to a “very reliable source,” says Eckel, Andy Reid could wind up as the Dallas Cowboys coach next season. [NJ.com]
“I know a lot of people think Andy is going to San Diego next year, and I can see that happening,” the source said. “But I keep hearing Dallas. I think he can end up with the Cowboys. As a matter of fact, I think he will end up with the Cowboys, if Jason is fired.”
While there is some sentiment that Reid will take a year off from coaching, if he is fired by the Eagles, several people close to the coach said they will be surprised if he is not coaching next year.
“Andy’s a coach; that’s what he does,” one said. “I don’t see him going into the TV booth, although he probably could. I see him coaching somewhere else if he’s not in Philly.”
I understand if Andy Reid does take the year off next season, should he be fired by Jeff Lurie. Fourteen years coaching in the NFL takes its toll, and Reid is not superhuman. Given that he lost his son this past summer and his Eagles teams have simply not been good for the past seven years, minus a miracle run to the NFC Championship game in 2008, Reid definitely deserves a year or two to get his head on straight and return to the NFL. He is the winningest coach in Eagles history. Yes, he took advantage of a weak NFC East and weak NFC conference during his run, but now when the tough gets going, he has certainly not been going tough.
Given the track record of Jerry Jones as Cowboys owner, many think Jason Garrett is on the hot seat and if the Cowboys fail to make the postseason, a season in which they have one win since 1996 (albeit against the Eagles), Garrett could certainly be fired and Jones would think it’s a big coup to land Reid to coach his Cowboys.
Reid, if fired, has been linked to San Diego by the media because he is from that area and Norv Turner is simply not going to take the Chargers to the promised land. Once Turner is axed, many think Reid could wind up there.
It’s an interesting scenario as the media likes to play up a lot of these scenarios. It gives us Eagles fans something to talk about. But, would you like Reid to coach the Cowboys? Not so sure I would.
“According to an extremely reliable source, who is close to Reid.” What blatantly obvious bs by Eckel, and his ” extremely reliable source” in an thinly veiled attempt to get Limp-Wrist Lurie to retain Reid as Head Coach of the Philadelphia Eagles despite his repeated recent failures and obstinate refusals to adjust to changing strategies that have exposed his system as weak and predictable. It’s apparent these “rumors” are relying on the football naivete of Limp-Wrist Lurie to pressure him into keeping Reid on board for an additional FOURTEEN (Lo-o-o-o-o-o-o-on-ng) YEARS. I’m willing to bet a dollar to a doughnut that if Jerruh is thinking about ANY coach at all, it’s Jon Gruden NOT Andy “Predictable” Reid. Any owner worth his salt can clearly see Reid’s wins were mostly compiled because of the newness of his WCO system and the weakness of other teams during that period. Since then, teams have drafted and signed bigger, stronger, faster, smarter players and have developed strategies designed to counter the well-worn WCO and have relied on the predictability of a coach who refuses to, or is unable to, adapt. In addition, Reid is “The winningest coach in Philadelphia history ” ONLY because a weak-kneed cowardly owner, apparently intimidated by the hulking presence of Reid, refuses to end his (overly) long tenure by making a decision. Odds are ANY other coach (Kotite, Rhodes, Ryan, Campbell) given the SAME 14 year opportunity would have compiled a won/lost record equal to, or better than, Reid’s. As for San Diego, most KNOWLEDGEABLE owners have witnessed for themselves Reid’s proclivity for sticking with a system that no longer works and his undying loyalty to stick with flawed yes men, such as Marty Mornhinweg and their collective and annoying habits of trying to force a round peg into a square hole when it comes to the best use of plays AND players on the team. Why would an owner want to swap one failed coach for another failed coach? The Eagles need to rid themselves of Reid and hire a Jon Gruden, Josh McDaniels, or Stanford’s David Shaw, et al before the Cowboys do. People are dreaming when they automatically assume, or declare, Reid will be “sought after.” Reid will be WA-A-AY DOWN on the list of preferred candidates because he has too much baggage. His antiquated system to begin with. His refusal to, or maybe even his complete inability to, adjust to changing game situations for another. Reid was quietly carried for years by the competence of Harbaugh, Leslie Frazier, Jim Johnson, Juan Castillo (OL), Ron Rivera, and a few others who have since departed. He was never able to replace those assistants whom he delegated those responsibilities and is incapable of correcting these things himself. A Head Coach should know EVERY assistant coach’s job responsibility, EVERY players position and their responsibilities, EVERY play in the playbook. A head Coach should have complete familiarity with the NFL rulebook. I honestly don’t have a comfortable feeling that Reid, a former QUARTERBACKS COACH, has this knowledge and most owners probably will sense this. Reid is NOT as good as people seem to believe.
I would love to see him in Dallas. We would torture his fat a– twice a year.
Mark Eckel is a joke! He makes up stories – has been for years . I don’t remember Eckel ever being right. Does anybody really think Andy would tell anybody he is thinking about coaching in Dallas next year – even if he is…..