The Tragic Truth About Andy Reid

This article contains mention of drug addiction.

In January 2013, Andy Reid signed a five-year contract as the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs after coaching the Philadelphia Eagles. "Congratulations to Clark Hunt and the Kansas City Chiefs for hiring a good man and a good coach. We wish Andy, Tammy, and their entire family all the best in their new home," Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie wrote in a congratulatory statement (via NFL). Since taking the helm for the Chiefs, Reid has enjoyed a successful run, turning the team around from its losing streak and on to three Super Bowl wins.

Despite his notably successful career in the NFL, the longtime coach has also had his fair share of unpleasant times. For instance, during the 2024 Super Bowl, Chiefs star player Travis Kelce got into an argument with Reid after he was taken out of the game in the first half. Kelce began shouting in Reid's face, shoving the 65-year-old and causing him to momentarily lose balance. But while Reid and Kelce laughed off the spat, NFL fans deemed it unacceptable. "Travis Kelce running up to Andy Reid screaming and pushing him is inexcusable ... there is no world where a professional athlete should treat his coach like that on national TV and get away with it," one fan wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

Of course, that's not the worst thing to have happened to Reid in his life. From his son's death to a health scare, here is a look into Andy Reid's struggles over the years.

In August 2012, Andy Reid's oldest son Garret Reid died at 29. Still a college student, Garret was found dead in his dorm room at Lehigh University with paraphernalia indicating drug use. A coroner later announced Garret's cause of death as an accidental overdose of heroin. "We are confident today that Mr. Reid's death was the result of a self-injected lethal dose of heroin," District Attorney John Morganelli confirmed in a news conference (via ESPN). "The autopsy and toxicology is consistent with that conclusion and it is consistent with the evidence of the syringe and other drug paraphernalia that we determined was consistent with heroin use."

Before his death, Garret had battled drug addiction and was faced trouble with the law. In 2007, he was arrested and subsequently sentenced to nearly two years in prison for a car crash that injured another driver. Police would later confirm that Garrett was under the influence of heroin and had about 200 pills in his car at the time of the crash. At his sentence hearing, Garret expressed a will to turn his life around, telling the judge at the time, "I don't want to die doing drugs. I don't want to be that kid who was the son of the head coach of the Eagles, who was spoiled and on drugs and OD'd and just faded into oblivion." Sadly, Garret was unable to live out his sobriety dreams.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

In 1999, following a 15-year career as an assistant coach with various teams, Andy Reid landed his first head coach role in 1999 with the Philadelphia Eagles. There, Reid worked for 14 seasons, winning a total of 130 games and six division titles, per CBS News. In no time, Reid reached a new career achievement as he became the franchise's all-time winningest coach. 

Despite his success with the Eagles, however, Reid also recorded several losses, with the 2012 season — arguably the worst of his career — ending in a 4-12 record. Unsurprisingly, after the 2012 season, Reid's contract with the Philadelphia Eagles was not renewed. "When you have a season like that, it's embarrassing. It's personally crushing to me and it's terrible," owner Jeffrey Lurie said in a press conference at the time (via ESPN). Speaking on Reid's approach to work and life, Lurie added, "He didn't share himself with the press because he wanted to protect his players and the way he coaches. Having worked with him for 14 years, he's a gem of a person. This man was amazing to work with, smart and dedicated himself."

The dismissal was only a minor setback, as Reid soon landed a new role with the Kansas City Chiefs — four days after his exit from the Eagles was announced. Nonetheless, the long-running coach has since accepted responsibility for the losses recorded by his previous team. "The last couple of years weren't good enough, but I look at the whole picture of those 14 years and I take responsibility for all of them," he told CBS News of his time with the Eagles.

In September 2021, Andy Reid suffered a medical emergency after falling ill at one of the Chiefs games. "Head Coach Andy Reid felt ill at the conclusion of the game. He was evaluated by our medical staff in the locker room, & as a precaution, was transported to The University of Kansas Health System for further evaluation. Coach is doing well, currently resting & in stable condition," the team tweeted in an official statement. At the hospital, Reid was treated for dehydration and released to go home less than 24 hours later.

Upon returning to work a few days later, the longtime NFL coach confirmed his health status to the public. "I guess I'll start with my injury report. I'm feeling great, first of all. It's good to be back and getting on with business as usual here," Reid said in a news conference (via Kansas City Chiefs). "I'm not much for talking about all that stuff. I wish it never happened, but it did. I'm moving on. I feel great. And I appreciate the doctors for taking care of me. They're phenomenal."

Unsurprisingly, Reid's brief stint at the hospital worried fans and players alike, with Chiefs football safety Tyrann Mathieu taking to social media to share his concern. "I'm praying for my Head Coach & I'm hoping you can send up prayers with me!! One of the best men & teachers I've been around!!! GOD, please show us your mercy!," he wrote in a tweet. 

In February 2021, Andy Reid's younger son Britt Reid crashed into two cars, injuring several passengers including 5-year-old Ariel Young, who was left in a 2-week coma with traumatic brain injuries. Authorities later confirmed Britt was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash and had been driving at nearly 84 miles per hour, as reported by The New York Post. Subsequently, he was charged with a felony count of driving while intoxicated.

But while Britt was originally slated to go to trial, he eventually agreed to a plea deal, invariably reducing his sentence. Speaking at his sentence hearing, Britt apologized for the crash while expressing regret for Young's injuries. "Every time I see my daughter, I think about Ariel and how my decision affected her so deeply and her family," he said, as reported by the Kansas City Star on X. "I made a huge mistake. I apologize to the family. I didn't mean to hurt anyone." In November 2022, Britt received a three-year sentence expected to end in 2025.

In addition to his sentencing, Britt, who was working as Kansas City Chiefs outside linebackers coach, also lost his job with the team. Following the accident, Britt was placed on administrative leave and subsequently dismissed after his contract expired.