Charvarius Ward Compares and Contrasts Kyle Shanahan and Andy Reid
LAKE LAS VEGAS -- The only player on the 49ers who has played for both Kyle Shanahan and Andy Reid is Charvarius Ward.
Ward was with the Chiefs when they beat the 49ers in the Super Bowl four years ago -- he's the only champion on the 49ers roster. And he's extremely observant and discerning.
So on Wednesday, I asked him to compare and contrast the two Super Bowl head coaches. Here's what Ward said.
WARD: "Similarities -- they're both really smart, great offensive minds. Great play callers. Great innovators. They know a defense's weaknesses and they know who to target on defense. Differences -- I feel like they got hella different personalities. Coach Reid, he's quiet but he's also the life of the party and the funny guy at the same time. He cracks a lot of jokes, tells a lot of stories. He talks a little bit more than Coach Shanahan. Coach Shanahan is a little more laid back, more reserved, but both great coaches."
MY TAKE: I love that Ward contrasted Shanahan and Reid's personalities. Obviously they're both outstanding offensive coaches, but they're also extremely different. Shanahan is cool and hip, but he's also a bit uptight and controlling, while Reid seems like he can let his guard down and empower his players to lead the team. Which means Reid keeps things light while Shanahan makes things a bit tense.
And that's not to say that Reid's style is better than Shanahan's style. Both coaches seem respected by their players. But they're extremely different.
