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| Reid understands the fans' frustrations. (US PRESSWIRE) |
Last week, Eagles quarterback Michael Vick publicly supported Andy Reid, telling ESPN that his head coach wouldn't get fired. “Not on my watch. And I'll say that in front of the whole world.”
Philadelphia had made so many moves in free agency that backup quarterback Vince Young called them the "Dream Team." Predictably, the 2011 season was a disaster; the Eagles started 1-4, and were 4-8 by Week 13 before they reeled off four in a row to get to 8-8, good for second in the NFC East with the Cowboy and behind the Giants.
Reid, who has been with the Eagles since 1999 and has a 126-81-1 career record, understands the fans' frustrations, particularly given the expectations heading into the season.
“I didn’t hear it at the moment but I was well aware of it afterwards, and I could understand it,” Reid told Jim Rome on Rome regarding the "Fire Andy" chants that were often heard from fans in Lincoln Financial Field. “We were stinking the place up, and we were not doing a good job, so I take full responsibility for that. That’s the way it is. I’m lucky to have an owner who believes in me and trusts in me and allowed me to stay here another year and get this thing rolling and have another opportunity at it.”
To be fair, Reid's probably earned the right to continue coaching in Philly. During his tenure, the Eagles have won seven division championships, a conference championship, and made a Super Bowl appearance. The team also has eight seasons of at least 10 wins. (If anyone should be thankful for their owner's lenience, it's Norv Turner.) Still, the reality is that the NFL is a "what have you done for me lately" business but Reid doesn't think in those terms as he prepares for 2012.
“It’s not about Andy,” he said. “It’s about the Philadelphia Eagles and the football team. So that would be very selfish of me to think about it that way.”
Thankfully, Vick has Reid's back. And more than that, the Eagles quarterback is taking the offseason seriously, something he admittedly hadn't done before.
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