Andy Reid Showed Up In The Chiefs Locker Room After The Game Wearing A Santa Costume Because He’s The Best
I have a dilemma. I can’t fucking stand the Kansas City Chiefs, but I love Andy Reid.
I suspect I’m not alone.
Today, Reid outdid himself.
After leading the Chiefs to a dominant 29-10 victory over the Steelers to secure the No. 1 seed in the AFC, Santa Claus himself showed up in the locker room.
Not just metaphorically, Andy Reid literally packed and brought a Santa Costume with him to Pittsburgh so that he could spread some Christmas cheer to his guys that had to work, on the road, on Christmas.
Beard, red suit, belly-shaking laughter, the whole nine yards.
Reid even wore the Santa pants to his postgame press conference.
But here’s the rub. As a fan of anyone but the Chiefs, I’m torn. On one hand, I hate that Kansas City just keeps winning. Thanks to a team loaded on both sides of the ball, incredible coaching, and an absurd amount of help from the league/refs.
Mahomes threw for 320 yards and three touchdowns, Travis Kelce broke records, and the Chiefs casually strolled to a 15-1 record while clinching home-field advantage in the playoffs.
They’re a juggernaut. A well-oiled, annoying machine that just refuses to slow down.
Much like the New England Patriots I was blessed to root for for their 20 year run.
Brady and Belichick turned the NFL into their personal fiefdom. They played the role of ultimate villain better than anybody. And they and us all relished it.
But here’s the difference: Belichick made it easy for other fans to hate the Patriots. He’s stoic, grumpy, and notoriously cagey with the media. To put it bluntly- he’s a giant dick.
When Belichick was on the field, of addressing the media, he looked like he actively hates fun.
Andy Reid, on the other hand? Andy Reid is fun. The man is always smiling, cracking jokes, and talking about cheeseburgers.
He’s impossible to dislike, no matter how much you want to root against the Chiefs.
And the thing is, Reid’s positivity is even more remarkable when you consider everything he’s been through.
This is a guy who’s suffered unimaginable personal losses- most notably the tragic death of his son in 2012. That kind of pain would break most people.
But Reid has somehow stayed upbeat, channeling his energy into football and the people around him. And State Farm commercials. Ridiculous State Farm commercials.
That’s why hating the Chiefs while loving Andy Reid sucks.
Andy is the last of a dying breed.
He’s an old-school football genius who’s evolved with the times, a rare mix of brilliant strategist and genuinely good human being. There’s not a player in the league who’s played for him who has a bad word to say. And not a guy in the league who wouldn’t love the chance to play for him.
He’s the guy who drafts players like Mahomes and turns them into legends. The kind of guy who wins 15 games in a season but still dresses up in a Santa suit to keep things light. How can you not root for that guy?
The man is the physical embodiment of football brilliance wrapped in dad jokes, and Hawaiian shirts.
He’s the lovable, mustachioed uncle who always makes you laugh at Thanksgiving but also somehow outsmarts everyone at family board games. And so, here I am, stuck in this football purgatory hating the Kansas City Chiefs but adoring their head coach.
