Ashley Fox | Forget all the rumors: Reid is not leaving | Philadelphia Inquirer | 10/05/2007
Andy Reid isn't going anywhere. He's not going to resign this week, or hand off the head coaching duties to Marty Mornhinweg. He's not going to pack up and go home, or retire to Utah, or take another leave of absence.
It is what it is. Reid is the coach of the Eagles today, and will be tomorrow. And next week. And barring something crazy happening, most likely next season, too.
I'm not one to fan the flames of rumor and speculation, but there has been a lot of that this week - heck, this year - concerning Reid's job status. It started when two of Reid's sons, Britt and Garrett, got popped by the police for various serious violations just before the Super Bowl, and continued when Reid took a monthlong hiatus to try to help them.
It heated up in August when Britt, who pleaded guilty to a felony gun charge, was arrested again, outside of a sporting goods store, and landed in the Montgomery County jail, where he remains incarcerated.
It's ablaze this week for several reasons. The Eagles are 1-3. Reid has made some mystifying decisions, like not having a punt returner with punt-returning experience in the opener and not helping Winston Justice when the Giants were abusing him last week for sack after sack. And, it's the bye week.
Reid hasn't spent this week packing his master plan binders into boxes. He has spent many hours in meetings trying to figure out why the offense has struggled in the Eagles' three losses. He has worked. And yesterday, Reid sent his coaches home, much as he did the players on Monday, so they could take a long weekend away from football.
"This week it's been all football," said a source inside the organization. "It's been gung-ho. He's been really good, meeting all the time. I think everything's good, except obviously if something else goes on with his kids. If something happens with his family that he could help by being home and there was something he could do, then, yeah, for sure he would. But that's not the case. It'd be different if these kids weren't 22 and 24. That's a big difference. You can only do so much."
Opinions vary about that, of course.
But Reid has Jeffrey Lurie's full support. He has won Lurie a lot of games, and put together a competitive team that has been to the Super Bowl, albeit never won one. The franchise certainly isn't hurting for fans; you could fill Lincoln Financial Field with people on the season-ticket waiting list.
It would take a monumental collapse of this team for Lurie to fire Reid. While things certainly aren't looking good with the Eagles in the NFC East cellar after a disheartening September, it is a long season. It's not over.
The Eagles' defense has allowed just six touchdowns in four games. Their run defense, a big problem last year, is much improved, ranking fifth in the league, allowing just 74.5 yards per game.
The offense? Except for the Detroit game, it has been stagnant at best.
The good news for the Eagles is that they expect everyone, except possibly Brian Dawkins, to be available for the Oct. 14 game against the Jets. That includes Brian Westbrook, L.J. Smith and, mercifully for Justice, William Thomas. Westbrook missed the Giants game with an injury, and while Correll Buckhalter rushed for more than 100 yards, he wasn't a threat in the passing game or much help protecting McNabb. Smith, one of McNabb's favorite targets, has played in only one game this season.
As for Dawkins, he could need a couple of more weeks. The Eagles, who have been pleased by Quintin Mikell's performances, won't rush him.
"No one's in a state of panic," the Eagles source said.
The October schedule is somewhat favorable. After playing the Jets at the Meadowlands, the Eagles get struggling Chicago at home, then Minnesota on the road.
The first weekend in November, the Cowboys come to town. By that point, the Eagles really need to be 4-3 to have a chance at the playoffs.
If the Eagles fail to make the postseason, Reid will be roasted, but likely not fired. If his family situation remains the same, it's hard to envision Reid walking away from the Eagles. That's not his style.
Reid is the Eagles coach today, tomorrow, and for the foreseeable future.
Forget all the rumors: Reid is not leaving
Forget all the rumors: Reid is not leaving
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