Super Bowl LIV promises a lot of excitement on the field of play Sunday once the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs kickoff in Miami at 6:30 p.m. E.T. on Fox. But the sidelines offer their own intrigue. Sunday offers a chance at redemption for Kansas City head coach Andy Reid and his counterpart in San Francisco, Kyle Shanahan.
It's harsh to suggest Shanahan has Super Bowl demons he needs to get rid of. This is just his third year as a head coach and he's only 40-years-old, so it looks like he'll be coaching for a long time. But he still likely has a sour taste in his mouth from 2017 when he was the offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons and watched his offense sputter in the second half as Atlanta blew a 28-3 lead against the New England Patriots. Shanahan's normally revered play-calling — fairly or unfairly — received some of the blame for the collapse in the immediate aftermath. He's got an opportunity to shed that part of his growing legacy.
Long considered one of the great offensive minds in the game, Reid puts competitive teams together year in and year out, but he's dealt with as much postseason heartbreak as any coach in the modern era. From 2001 to 2003, his Philadelphia Eagles lost three straight NFC title games, before finally breaking through in 2004, only to lose the Super Bowl against, you guessed it, the Patriots.
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The well-loved Reid gets a lot of props for his play-calling, but his late-game decision-making is often the source of ridicule, particularly his clock management in the postseason. He doesn't have to worry about that as much these days thanks to playmakers like quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce, and wide receiver Tyreek Hill. If that group can pull it off, Reid's Hall of Fame chances will start to look like a lock.
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