Could Andy Reid Pass Bill Belichick In GOAT Debate? It’s Real Possibility

Should Andy Reid be considered the greatest coach of all-time? Not yet. But to say the Kansas City Chiefs head coach isn’t at least entering the conversation is incorrect.

It’s no longer just a thought that Reid could eventually surpass the greats, including Don Shula and Bill Belichick; it’s a legitimate possibility. Reid, who sits at 283 career victories in the regular season and postseason, needs 65 wins to overtake Shula. It might sound like a lot, but it’s feasible. And it’s continued to fly under the radar, in large part because of Belichick’s present-day greatness.

However, Belichick, who is 15 wins away from Shula, doesn’t have a job as an NFL head coach. The longtime Patriots head coach parted ways with New England after a 4-13 campaign in 2023 and did not land one of the seven offseason coaching vacancies.

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We’re not of the belief Belichick’s coaching career is done yet. But a season away from the sideline obviously means less time to rack up wins. There remains the possibility Belichick gets hired by a talented team after the 2024 campaign and surpasses Shula in a two-year span. But it’s not looked at like a definite outcome anymore.

Reid, meanwhile, finds himself in one of the greatest situations in all of professional sports.

Reid has averaged 13 wins per season in his 11 years with the Chiefs (11.6 per regular season). Should that continue, the 65-year-old Reid would need five years to reach Shula’s 348. Even if Reid’s win-per-season average dropped to 10, he could enter the record book in less than seven seasons. With Mahomes under contract through 2031, and probably never leaving Kansas City, double-digit win seasons don’t feel like a stretch — even with the roster likely to look different in the next few years. Reid and Mahomes have proven they can evolve and win in different ways.

It comes down to one big thing: How long does Reid want to coach?

Retirement rumors have followed Reid the last few seasons, and swirled again this winter. Both Reid and Chiefs owner Clark Hunt poured cold water on those thoughts ahead of Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium.

“I’m not expecting him to retire,” Hunt told Chris Russo of Mad Dog Sports Radio, as transcribed by Pro Football Talk. “He loves what he’s doing. I know he’s energized by the team that he has. I know he loves coaching Patrick Mahomes. He’s got a generational quarterback. So, I look forward to having Andy as our head coach for many more years.”

One sentence summed up Reid’s feelings on the subject: “Today’s not the day.”

If Reid were to average 13 wins per season and eclipse Shula in five campaigns, he still would be younger than the 71-year-old Belichick is right now, as pointed out by Arrowhead Addict. So it’s important to differentiate Reid’s desire to coach from his age. His age isn’t the problem. Pete Carroll just concluded his age-72 season.

The all-time wins record is just one aspect of the GOAT conversation, of course. The fact Belichick has won six Super Bowls as a head coach is why some already view him as the GOAT rather than wins-leader Shula. Shula has two titles, the same as Reid. There’s a chance Reid ends up somewhere in the middle. Would four Lombardi trophies be enough on Reid’s resume if he also owned the all-time wins record? Probably.

And who knows, four might even be underselling Kansas City. With Mahomes behind center, the Chiefs will be in contention for the next decade. It doesn’t mean they’ll win every one, but being in contention is the first step. Mahomes already has reached four Super Bowls in his first six seasons.

“I don’t think about that much,” Reid responded when asked about his legacy and wins record, per Pro Football Network. “In this business, you’re kind of in the moment and then whatever happens happens with that stuff. You don’t really think about that.”

It might be time football fans start thinking about it, though.