The Andy Reid Bowl.
The Kelce Bowl.
We have heard each of those phrases used the moment Kansas City defeated Cincinnati in the AFC Championship Game to advance to their third Super Sunday in four years where they face Philadelphia on Sunday in Glendale Arizona. And we are just days from seeing it unfold on center stage.
The match-up though feels like a long time coming in many ways. Philadelphia and Kansas City have been unusually linked through the years via personnel switching from one team to the other. So as we kick-off our Fox Sports New Jersey coverage of the Showdown in the Desert, let’s look at the deep rooted links between the Big Game’s participants.
Carl Peterson - General Manager
KANSAS CITY, MO – OCTOBER 1: Carl Peterson, Kansas City Chiefs President/General Manager and Chief Executive Officer, looks on before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Arrowhead Stadium on October 1, 2006 in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs defeated the Niners 41-0. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
You can’t begin to talk about the links between these two teams without Carl Peterson. Peterson was the Director of Player Personnel with Philadelphia from 1977 through 1982, and later the President and General Manager in Kansas City from 1989 through 2008. There a lot of names that have crossed the halls of both franchises thanks in major part to Peterson. He started out as an assistant coach in Philly under Head Coach Dick Vermeil (more on him later). Thanks to Vermeil, Peterson was promoted to Director of Player personnel and the duo helped build a team that went to the Big Game in 1981.
When Peterson took over in Kansas City in 1989, he hired Marty Schottenheimer as his head coach and turned K.C. into an AFC Powerhouse in the 1990s. With the likes of defensive end Derrick Thomas, tackle Will Shields and tight end Tony Gonzalez, and a brief time with hall of famer quarterback Joe Montana in 1994 and ’95, the Chiefs were always a lock for the AFC West and/or a playoff berth. Only problem was they could never get over the hump in the playoffs.
Dick Vermeil - Head Coach
CANTON, OHIO – AUGUST 06: Dick Vermeil is introduced during the 2022 Pro Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium on August 06, 2022 in Canton, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
If you are going to talk about Peterson’s strong links between Philadelphia and Kansas City, one has to mention Dick Vermeil.
Vermeil was the venerable and emotional head coach in Philly from 1976 to 1982, and led them to the Big Game in 1981 against Oakland, a game Philly lost 27-10.
By the end of the 1982 season, Vermeil was burned out and retired. He would resurface in 1997 with the St. Louis Rams franchise — winning the Big Game in 1999 against Tennessee. However after retiring abruptly following that Big Game victory, Vermeil took one year off before returning to the sidelines in … you guessed it… Kanas City.
In five years with K.C. Vermeil had two winning seasons, and one trip to the playoffs (2005) when he led Kansas City to a 13-3 record before bowing out in the divisional round to Peyton Manning and Indianapolis.
Herman Edwards - Head Coach
28 DECEMBER 2008: Kansas City Chiefs head coach Herm Edwards against the Cincinnati Bengals in their NFL football game at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, on December 28, 2008.
A disciple of the Peterson/Vermeil tree, Edwards is best known in these parts as the former Head Coach of the New York Jets, but as a player, he was a one of Vermeil’s best cornerbacks in Philadelphia. Over a span of nine years Edwards had 33 interceptions and two fumble recoveries, including one that lives in infamy in Giants history.
After a solid tenure as Jets head coach, Edwards was dealt to Kansas City to become their next head coach to succeed Vermeil in 2006. In three seasons at the helm of the Red and Gold, Edwards had only one winning season and was fired after going 2-14 in 2008.
Doug Pederson - Quarterback, Head Coach
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – JANUARY 21: Head coach Doug Pederson of the Jacksonville Jaguars looks on prior to the AFC Divisional Playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on January 21, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jason Hanna/Getty Images)
The current Head Coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars has deep ties to Philly and Kansas City thanks in major part to the top connection on our list, Andy Reid. As most remember Pederson was the Eagles head coach from 2016 to 2020, winning the Big Game in 2017 thanks to a little play known as the Philly Special.
Philly upset New England that night 41-33 for the franchises first ever Big Game championship, and second NFL title. Pederson would stay on the job for three more years before losing a power struggle with GM Howie Roseman following the 2020 season.
Prior to becoming the head man in Philly, Pederson played quarterback for the City of Brotherly Love in 1999 as Andy Reid’s opening day starter that year, before turning to rookie Donovan McNabb. Pederson and Reid go back to their days in Green Bay when Pederson was Brett Favre’s back-up, and Reid was Green Bay’s offensive coordinator. Years after Pederson retired from playing, Reid brought Pederson back to Philly as Offensive Quality Control Coach and Quarterbacks coach for four years. Pederson then followed Reid to Kansas City in 2013 to become its offensive coordinator, a post he held for three seasons, before Philadelphia called him back to become Head Coach.
Nick Sirianni - Quality Control Coach - KC, Head coach - PHILLY
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – OCTOBER 03: Head coach Nick Sirianni of the Philadelphia Eagles reacts after a penalty is called during the third quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at Lincoln Financial Field on October 03, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
The man who succeeded Doug Pederson as head coach in Philadelphia got his start in Kansas City. Under then head coach Todd Haley, Nick Sirianni was offensive quality control coach, quarterbacks coach, and wide receivers coach over a period of four season in K.C. After spending parts of the next decade in San Diego, Sirianni became offensive coordinator in Indianapolis under Frank Reich — who just happened to be Doug Pederson’s O.C. with Philly during that Big Game season in 2017.
So of course, roads would lead back to Philly for Sirianni whose brash swagger meshes well in the City.
The Kelce Brothers
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – JANUARY 29: Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates after defeating the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 in the AFC Championship Game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on January 29, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
What’s a list of Kansas City-Philadelphia connections without the Kelce Brothers. Travis and Jason Kelce are going to eat up the spotlight down in Arizona this week. Both are outspoken. Both are funny. Both are really good at football; and both are likely heading for the Hall of Fame. Oh, and it only adds to flavor of this match-up that the two host the New Heights Podcast on a weekly basis.
Their match-up in the Big Game will be the first time that a pair of brothers face one another as players on this stage. Of course the Harbaugh brothers (Jim and John) squared off as head coaches back in 2013.
Jason is two years older than Travis, and were multi-sport athletes growing up. In fact the brothers played on the same Cincinnati Bearcats team while in college. Oh, and their mom, Donna wears a KC/Philly Jersey to represent both her sons.
Andy Reid - Head Coach
PHILADELPHIA, PA – DECEMBER 23: Head coach Andy Reid of the Philadelphia Eagles looks on during a game against the Washington Redskins at Lincoln Financial Field on December 23, 2012 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Alex Trautwig/Getty Images)
Aside from Carl Peterson, the ultimate connection between Philadelphia and Kansas City is Andy Reid.
Reid was Philadelphia’s head coach for 14 years from 1999 – 2012, leading the franchise to new heights, including five trips to the NFC Title game and a trip to the Big Show in 2004 against New England. In the 90’s, Philly was a football team playing in a horrible stadium (Veterans Stadium) with a miserable fanbase. Reid changed all of than in his time there. This will be the franchises’ third trip to the Big Game in 18 years.
After getting relieved of his duties in Philly following the 2012 season, Reid landed quickly in Kansas City, and has now coached there for nine years. And what a ride it has been. He has led Kansas City to five consecutive AFC title games appearances and three appearances in the Big Game. With Patrick Mahomes at quarterback, he has the generational player that can bring him his second ring in a few days.