Former Reid Assistants Speak Out About Former Boss
PALM BEACH, Fla. -- I had an opportunity to spend a few minutes with two branches on the Andy Reid coaching tree – Browns head coach Pat Shurmur and Ravens head coach John Harbaugh -- Tuesday morning at the AFC coaches media breakfast at the NFL meetings.
Former Reid Assistants Speak Out About Former Boss
Paul Domowitch
PALM BEACH, Fla. -- I had an opportunity to spend a few minutes with two branches on the Andy Reid coaching tree – Browns head coach Pat Shurmur and Ravens head coach John Harbaugh -- Tuesday morning at the AFC coaches media breakfast at the NFL meetings.
Shurmur, 46, and Harbaugh, 49, spent a combined 19 years as assistants on Reid’s Eagles coaching staff. Shurmur worked for him from ’99 through ’08 before leaving to become the Rams’ offensive coordinator. Harbaugh was on his staff from ’99 through ’07 before the Ravens hired him. I asked both of them about working for Reid. This is what they had to say:
Shurmur: "There’s so many things I’ve learned from him. He’s very consistent. He has a plan and a vision for what he wants to do. I think he’s an outstanding head coach because he hires people, gives them direction and lets them do their jobs. That’s a rare quality.
There’s a quiet confidence there that rubs off on his players. They feel good about playing for him. Players emotionally are going like this (makes an up-and-down gesture) all the time. Andy’s steady. I think that’s something that’s reassuring for a player."
Harbaugh: "I’m an Andy guy. Whenever the Andy Reid era eventually ends in Philly, Eagles fans are going to look back on it and say that was a great run."
Some fans may beg to differ with Harbs, but that’s another story.
Harbaugh’s thoughts on Eagles defensive coordinator Juan Castillo: "Having a year under his belt, having a full offseason to prepare this year, that’s going to be huge for Juan. You’re either getting better or you’re getting worse. And if you know anything about Juan Castillo, you know he’s always getting better. He’ll be that much better this season because of what he learned last year. He’s a great coach. I have nothing but respect for Juan."
The owners will vote Wednesday on whether to expand the current playoff overtime rule to the regular-season. The proposal is expected to pass, and competition committee co-chair Rich McKay has said it has the support of the league’s coaches. Not all of them, though.
Harbaugh doesn’t like the overtime rule, which allows the kicking team a possession in overtime if the receiving team kicks a field goal.
"I think sudden death is fine," the Ravens coach said. "I think sudden death is what makes the National Football League great. I probably shouldn’t say this because we had a seminar yesterday where they told us if you wonder if you should say something, you probably shouldn’t say it.
"But I like sudden death. I don’t know how the Ravens are going to vote. But my two cents says (stick with) sudden death. It’s been around forever and it’s worked pretty good."
- What, exactly, have we won? We've won games in each of the 52 years since our last championship. Yet, we've been in decline for the past 4 seasons and last year's all-in debacle was our worse yet, in terms of expectations versus results.
We can't allow fear of the unknown to paralyze us. If nothing changes, nothing changes. In making a coaching change, we may not know what we're getting, but we already know what we have, and it ain't good.
Other teams have hired new coaches and passed us in only one season. Vince Lombardi was not the last great coach to be discovered. When you think of it, who was Reid before being hired by the Eagles? It's time for our "brilliant" front office to find a "brilliant" NFL coach. Captain Neck Fatt must go! 
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If Juan is so great how come nobody's tried to steal him from us?— ej610- @— robynk
when they replace Vick i will. lol. :)— osi is hurt boohoo - I love these "pro-Reid" Kook Aid posts. What the posters don't realize is that it's not 2004 anymore. Since then Andy Reid IS Rich Kotite and Ray Rhodes. Don't believe me. Check out their winning percentages. The Eagles winning % and playoff making frequency is almost identical since 2005 as it was from 1988 to 1999 (The so-called dreaded era). So if we fire Reid, there is another Ryan, Kotite and Rhodes who can do the exact same thing waiting in the wings. It’s not so bad Philadelphia.— guyguy4
- And the Chief Negadelphian states "Some fans may beg to differ with Harbs (on Reid's era being a "great run"), but that’s another story." 1) Us fans don't need you to be our spokesperson and 2) I'd like to see more pieces without the negative b.s. slant you always seem to take.
The people who play and work for Andy - both past and present - have nothing but positive things to say about the man. Why not leave it to their quotes to tell the story and stay away from sarcastic remarks?— Commish - What Commish said. Can we please hire some writers who actually get us??!! Alas, the migration to Spadaro continues....— eaglesfan
- Guyguy4, everyone knows we peaked in 2004. But, since then? Not as bad as you'd have us believe. In the last seven seasons, we're 62-49-1 (.553) and made the playoffs four out of seven times, including the Conf Championship. maybe Reid hasn't won it all yet, but he is still the best coach this franchise has ever had and I'll be sorry when this run of winning and playoff appearances is over. The grass isn't always greener.— Commish
- Ole boys network at its best.— phillyceltic
- I will never understand the philosophy that no one can do what Andy Reid has done with the Eagles. a) He has never won anything. b) There is always another coach out there. Harbaugh, Tomlin, etc.— phillyceltic
- He's won playoff games. That's more than Buddy Ryan ever did. — bc3030
- Of course the guys he got jobs will praise him....but realists and fans not willing to settle for "nothing" and NO Lomardi Trophies will point to his record....NO SUPER BOWLS WINS IN 14 YEARS....His record against clubs with a below 500 record is less than 50%, His record against clubs with winning records is below 45% ....Facts: 24 out of 25 of SB winning coaches did it in under 5 years.....In the division during his tenure the Giants have one twice, Dallas once....His draft choices, number one's and nuimber two's has been abysmal...and his record has more to do with the defensive genius of Jim Johnson than his offensive schemes.....and for those afraid to face reality....Andy leaving does not mean a ritchie kotie clone comes back...There are qualtliy guys out there....remember, when he was selected he was a QB coach for Brett Favre (and you know how much he listened to anyone....and where over the years have you heard Bret priase AR...never happened) you yahoos never heard of him either....so Sheep, stop the koolade drinking and the fear of success and realize the man will never win a SB and now that the mailboy is making the draft selections the talent level will go down even more...— nuggett
- Why are you using ellipses as if they are periods? Who taught you that? Stop doing it. — bc3030
- After Reid is mercifully gone, the only thing stopping the Eagles from improving will be Lurie hiring another idiot to replace him. The best chance for Philly to win a SB is if Lurie moves this godforsaken franchise to LA and a real owner starts anew in Philly.— eaglephanatic
