Is Eagle HC Reid on the hot seat?

Several months ago on NFLDraftDog.com I mentioned that Eagles HC Reid was on the hot seat.  This
was just one more example of my information and instincts being right.  More than a year before OC Weis left the
Chiefs for a lateral move to the OC spot at Florida, I reported that there was a conflict between him and HC Haley.

Last Sunday, a local Philly paper reported that the Reid era of the Eagles may be coming to an end.  There
are several reasons that is happening.   First, and most significant, there is a growing split between Eagle
owner Jeffrey Lurie and HC Reid.  The clearest evidence of that split was the issue of the starting QB between Mike
Vick and Kevin Kolb.  Reid named Kolb the starter for the 2010 season.  When he got hurt Vick became an exciting fan favorite.
But Reid announced that when Kolb recovered he would regain his starting spot.  Less than a week after that Vick
was named the starter for the rest of the season.  As the 2011 season finally got underway, Kolb was traded to the Cards and the spitting contest between the owner and coach over this issue was settled.

But there are other reasons that the relationship is cooling.  While Reid has led his team to multiple NFC Championships, he has gotten to only 1 Super Bowl which he lost.  While some blame the talent and tendency of long time QB McNabb to perform under pressure, others say that Reid was outcoached by the opponent.

To try and get over Lurie has gone all in this season.  As I was the first to report on my radio show before the lockout was over, he committed to spend the money on UFA QB Vick, all pro CB Nnamdi Asomugha,  WRs Sinorice Moss and ex-Giant Steve Smith, RB Ronnie Brown, DL Jason Babin and Cullen Jenkins, TE Donald Lee  and backup QB Vince Young.  The feeling in Philly is that now Reid has all the toys he needs to win it all.
But it takes a lot more than talent to win in the NFL.  It also requires teamwork.  It is clear that there is a team chemistry
issue with the Eagles.  Now the team is 1-3 with a very tough game tomorrow at 3-1 Buffalo.

But there is another reason that coaches’ lose their jobs after 10 years or so that is unique to pro football.
In high school and college ball, every year a new group of players comes into the program and the oldest guys
leave.  That keeps the coach’s messages and techniques relatively fresh due to the turnover.  However, in the NFL key players often stay
for 8 or more years.  Even the best coach can lose the ear and the heart of long term players after a while.  Even Bill Parcells  admitted that 10 years is about the limit of how long a coach in the NFL can be effective.   Reid has been the Eagles HC for 13 seasons.

So unless the Birds turn things around and get to a Super Bowl don’t be surprised if Reid is not the HC in 2012.

That is what I think.
Tell us what you think.

Bill Smith is a former coach of several semi-pro teams, has officiated both football and basketball, done color
on radio for
college football and basketball and has scouted talent.

He is a senior writer for and edits https://fryingpansports.com. He has also published several novels on http://www.eBooks-Library.com/Contemporary/ and a non-fiction work at http://www.merriam-press.com/.

He edits .

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