Andy Reid expects a typical Philadelphia welcome when he returns to play the Eagles on Thursday night. By that the new Kansas City Chiefs coach means he expects to be booed by the fans in Lincoln Financial Field. Reid will return to Philadelphia for the first time since being fired in 2012. He spent 14 seasons with the team, but does not expect to get any love from the fans upon running onto the field.
Reid might be thinking back to the time former Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb returned to Philadelphia as a member of the Washington Redskins. He was met with a mix of cheers and boos. Reid expects the same treatment.
"I would expect them to give me a nice Philadelphia welcome," Reid said, via ESPN.com. "So that's OK. Listen, I have no idea, but you never know."
Reid's downfall with the Eagles started somewhere in 2010. The team's record continued to get worse and worse. The team was 10-6 in 2010, 8-8 in 2011 and 4-12 in 2012. There was an eight-game losing streak last season that did not help. The Eagles announced the firing of Reid at the end of December. No matter what, Reid holds no ill feelings toward his former team, even helping in the coaching search.
"The main thing I wanted out of it was those players and that organization, the city included, to have a good head coach," Reid said. "I don't want anybody to suffer because the head coach got fired. I think Chip Kelly is a good head coach. I think it was a great pick. It gives the players an opportunity to win games. It gives the city an opportunity to win games. It gives Jeffrey and the organization a chance to win games. That's what's more important."
Now, Reid has moved on with the Kansas City Chiefs and is simply focused on winning another game no matter who the opponent is. Reid admitted that the change has been good and he likes the direction his new team is headed in. Many Chiefs players are focused on winning the game in honor of Reid. Running back Jamaal Charles is standing by his coach, knowing this game is personal.
"It means a lot, so I hope we go out there and play for our coach," Charles told Ed Werder via ESPN.com. "You know what I'm saying? I know he has a lot of love for his Eagles, he worked there a lot of years and he probably wishes he was still coaching there."
Reid is the winningest coach in Eagles history, but that will not stop the fans from treating him like every other opponent. The Chiefs enter in with the better record, but the Chiefs fast-paced offense will be tough to handle.
