Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Philadelphia Eagles part ways with head coach Andy Reid

The Philadelphia Eagles didn’t wait long to make changes after the 2012 NFL season came to an end as head coach Andy Reid was fired on Dec. 31, a day after the regular season came to a conclusion. Reid had spent the last 14 years coaching the Eagles and led the team to the playoffs nine times and to the Super Bowl once. However, the 2012 season was the worst one in Reid’s tenure as the club finished with a 4-12 record and missed the postseason. Jeffrey Lurie, owner of the Eagles, announced the firing and said his franchise needs to head into a new direction. The Eagles were trounced 42-7 in their final season game by the New York Giants.

Lurie released a press statement which said Reid leaves the club with a winning tradition which can be built upon and the team is excited about its future. Reid joined the Eagles back in 1999 after going 3-13 the year before. Donovan McNabb was then drafted second overall by the club and Philadelphia was soon regarded as a Super Bowl contender. Reid led the team to four consecutive NFC Championship contests, but they came out on the wrong end of a 24-21 score when reaching the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots in the 2004 season.

The Eagles went 8-8 last season and hasn’t won a postseason contest since 2008. Lurie was hoping Reid could improve on last year’s record, but instead they got decidedly worse. After the season finale against the Jets it sounded like Reid knew the writing was on the wall. He told the press that whatever Lurie chooses to do would be done in the best interest of the franchise and he would understand. Lurie said after Reid was let go that the eagles will begin looking for a new head coach as soon as possible.

Reid still has one year remaining on his contract and he’s scheduled to be paid $6 million on it in 2013. He leaves the Eagles as the club’s leader in coaching wins with 140 and in winning percentage at .578. In total, he led Philadelphia to six division championships and five NFC championship showdowns.

However, he also coached the team to its longest losing string in 42 years in 2012 after they lost eight consecutive games starting in the first week of October.

Reid said earlier in the season that his 14 years in Philadelphia was the greatest time of his life and he understood why some fans boo him and it didn’t bother him as the fans just want the best for their team. He said that a change can often be good and that the Eagles next head coach is sure to be a success. Reid then added that the ultimate goal for the Eagles franchise is to win the Super Bowl and he wishes them all the best in their quest to achieve that goal.

Ian Palmer

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