MIAMI — Andy Reid coached 365 games without a Super Bowl victory, meaning he could have coached a game a day for an entire year without reaching the NFL mountaintop.
The breakthrough came Sunday in No. 366.
Now that’s what you call a leap year.
What better coach to end the 50-year drought of the Kansas City Chiefs than the lovable Reid, a man who endured a historic dry spell of his own.
“It was written in the stars,” linebacker Reggie Ragland said. “It was meant to be.”
Written in the record books too. Reid came into Super Bowl LIV with 221 victories, more than any coach in NFL history without a ring — and that list includes Marty Schottenheimer (205), Dan Reeves (201), Chuck Knox (193) and Jeff Fisher (178).
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Reid blissfully extricated himself from that category, a reality so delightful he happily accepted the involuntary ice-bucket challenge that came courtesy of his players as the clock was winding down on the 31-20 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes leads Kansas City to three fourth-quarter touchdowns and is named the Super Bowl MVP in the Chiefs’ 31-20 victory over the 49ers.
Feb. 2, 2020
“The guys were jumping on top of me, I got an ice bath and everything,” Reid said of the celebration that followed the game-clinching touchdown run by Damien Williams, putting Kansas City up by 11.
“I didn’t have a lot of time to reflect on anything, other than try to keep guys off the field. We still had a minute and some left to go, so anything can happen.
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“It was awesome. Just to be able to celebrate with guys that worked so hard just to get you to this spot. To get themselves and the team to this spot.”
Unlike 15 years ago, when New England edged Reid’s Philadelphia Eagles in Jacksonville, there was no Tom Brady to play spoiler. San Francisco’s Jimmy Garoppolo did a solid job for most of the game, but wasn’t going to put his team on his shoulders and carry it to victory.
Patrick Mahomes did that, coolly guiding the Chiefs out of another 10-point abyss, just as he did the AFC championship game against Tennessee. In the divisional game against Houston, the Chiefs spotted the Texans a 24-0 lead before roaring back to outscore the visitors 51-7 the rest of the way.
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Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes said the Chiefs had a championship mentality.
(Tom Pennington / Getty Images)
“It’s just team; we have heart,” Mahomes said. “That’s just from Day 1, Coach pushes us to be the best people we can be, and we never give up. I think those guys around this — the leaders we have on this team — they have that mind-set that we never give up and we’re going to fight until the end.”
Reid exhibited those traits dating to his days at Marshall High in Los Angeles, where he launched his own football career. He was unafraid and relentless from an early age.
On a hot afternoon nearly 55 years ago, Reid got into a scuffle with the school’s quarterback and had the poor guy on the ropes. The quarterback yelled for his teammates to step in. But they were doubled over with laughter.
The Kansas City Chiefs celebrate after winning Super Bowl LIV over the San Francisco 49ers.
It was that stubborn spirit that guided Reid through all the disappointments and near misses over the years, and kept him in the game despite the tragic loss of his eldest son, Garrett, who died of a drug overdose in 2012.
“I had two goals when I became the starting quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs,” Mahomes said. “The first was to win the Lamar Hunt Trophy [awarded to the AFC champion]. I wanted to bring it home, the one that has our founder’s name on it…
“And the second most important thing was to get Coach Reid a Super Bowl trophy. He’s one of the greatest coaches of all time. I don’t think he needed the Lombardi Trophy to prove that. But just to do that, it puts all doubt aside.”
Whereas Reid shrugged off the yoke of Super Bowl disappointment, San Francisco’s Kyle Shanahan was burdened with more.
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He was Atlanta’s offensive coordinator when the Patriots pulled off the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history, wiping out a 28-3 deficit to win in overtime. And Sunday, Shanahan’s 49ers were outscored, 21-0, in the final 6:13.
In the fourth quarter and overtime of his two Super Bowls, Shanahan’s teams have been outscored 46-0.
Breaking down the major numbers behind the Kansas City Chiefs’ 31-20 win over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV.
Feb. 2, 2020
“Yeah, it was a tough loss and it hurts everybody in that locker room, losing the Super Bowl,” Shanahan said. “We had opportunities to win and came up short. ... They were better than us today. We can deal with that, but we’re obviously disappointed.”
Reid is a creature of habit, and throughout the season he has a reliable routine whenever speaking to the media after practice. He lists the injuries, then opens the news conference to questions with, “The time is yours.”
Yo, Andy.
At long last, the time is yours.
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Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi celebrates the team’s 31-20 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., on Feb. 2, 2020. (Getty Images)
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Demi Lovato performs the national anthem before Super Bowl LIV. (Associated Press)
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San Francisco 49ers’ George Kittle (85) runs against Kansas City Chiefs’ Daniel Sorensen (49) and Charvarius Ward during the first half. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) and teammates stand during the national anthem before Super Bowl LIV. (Associated Press)
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San Francisco 49ers’ Mitch Wishnowsky kicks off against the Kansas City Chiefs to start Super Bowl LIV. (Associated Press)
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Kansas City Chiefs running back Damien Williams carries the ball against the San Francisco 49ers during the first quarter. (Getty Images)
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Kansas City Chiefs fans cheer during the first half of the NFL Super Bowl LIV against the San Francisco 49ers. (Associated Press)
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San Francisco 49ers’ DeForest Buckner (99) and Earl Mitchell sack Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes during the first half. (Associated Press)
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San Francisco 49ers defensive back Jimmie Ward, right, knocks the ball from the hands of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes during the first half. (Associated Press)
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A tribute to Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and the seven others who died with them in a helicopter crash is shown on a screen at Hard Rock Stadium before Super Bowl LIV. (TIMOTHY A. CLARY/ AFP via Getty Images)
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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes celebrates after scoring a touchdown the San Francisco 49ers during the first quarter. (Associated Press)
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San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk scores a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half of Super Bowl LIV. (Associated Press)
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San Francisco 49ers defensive back Emmanuel Moseley, left, tackles Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Sammy Watkins during the first half. (Associated Press)
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San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk (44) celebrates his touchdown the Kansas City Chiefs during the second quarter. (Associated Press)
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Shakira perfroms during the Super Bowl LIV halftime show at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. (Associated Press)
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Shakira perfroms during the Super Bowl LIV halftime show at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. (Associated Press)
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Shakira, left, and Jennifer Lopez perform during the Super Bowl LIV halftime show at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. (Getty Images)
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Shakira perfroms during the Super Bowl LIV halftime show at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. (Getty Images)
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Shakira, left, and Jennifer Lopez perform during the Super Bowl LIV halftime show at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. (Getty Images)
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Shakira perfroms during the Super Bowl LIV halftime show at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. (Getty Images)
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Jennifer Lopez performs during the Super Bowl LIV halftime show at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. (Associated Press)
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Jennifer Lopez performs during the Super Bowl LIV halftime show at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. (Associated Press)
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San Francisco 49ers running back Raheem Mostert, left, celebrates his touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs during the second half of the Chiefs’ 31-20 victory in Super Bowl LIV on Feb. 2, 2020. (Associated Press)
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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes runs the football during the second half of a 31-20 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV on Feb. 2, 2020. (Associated Press)
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San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Kendrick Bourne tries to fend off against Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Charvarius Ward during the second half of Super Bowl LIV. (Associated Press)
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San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel runs between Kansas City Chiefs defensive backs Bashaud Breeland (21) and Daniel Sorensen during the second half of Super Bowl LIV. (Associated Press)
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Kansas City Chiefs running back Damien Williams scores a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers during the second half of Super Bowl LIV. (Associated Press)
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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, top, is chased by San Francisco 49ers defenders K’Waun Williams (24), Dre Greenlaw (57), and Fred Warner (54) during the second half of Super Bowl LIV. (Associated Press)
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Kansas City Chiefs running back Damien Williams gives a stiff arm to San Francisco 49ers cornerback Jimmie Ward during the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LIV. ( Getty Images)
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Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid looks on from the sideline during the fourth quarter against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV. (Getty Images)
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Kansas City Chiefs running back Damien Williams celebrates after scoring on a 38-yard touchdown run in the final minutes of Super Bowl LIV against the San Francisco 49ers. (Associated Press)
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Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Kendall Fuller celebrates his interception in the final minute against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV. (Getty Images)
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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes celebrates with teammates after defeating San Francisco 49ers 31-20 in Super Bowl LIV on Feb. 2, 2020. Mahomes was named the Super Bowl’s most valuable player. (Getty Images)
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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes celebrates after the team’s victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV. Mahomes was named the game’s MVP. (Getty Images)
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Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Khalen Saunders reacts after the team’s Super Bowl LIV victory over the San Francisco 49ers. (Associated Press)
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Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt holds the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the team’s victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV. (Getty Images)
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Kansas City Chiefs owner and CEO Clark Hunt raises the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the team’s 31-20 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV. (Getty Images)
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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, left, and teammate Tyrann Mathieu celebrate after defeating the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV. (Associated Press)
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Kansas City Chiefs celebrate after defeating the San Francisco 49ers 31-20 in Super Bowl LIV. (Getty Images)
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The Kansas City Chiefs celebrate after defeating the San Francisco 49ers 31-20 in Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AFP via Getty Images)
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Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Demarcus Robinson celebrates the team’s Super Bowl LIV win over the San Francisco 49ers. (Getty Images)
Honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his “long and distinguished reporting in the field of pro football,” Sam Farmer has covered the NFL for 25 seasons. A graduate of Occidental College, he’s a two-time winner of California Sportswriter of the Year and first place for beat writing by Associated Press Sports Editors.
