Harbaugh Family Loves Andy Reid – for 362 Days Every Year

Kansas City Chiefs head coach has relationship with family dating to 1989, starting with a great story.

Sep 22, 2019; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid talks with Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh after the game at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Jackie Harbaugh was president of the American Football Coaches Wives Association in 1989. The matriarch of the family and mother of Jim and John, she was organizing a charity visit and needed help to stuff teddy bears into gift bags.

A big teddy bear showed up to help -- a burly, red-headed offensive line coach from the University of Missouri. In fact, Andy Reid and Jack Harbaugh, then head coach at Western Kentucky, were the only two coaches in attendance.

On Friday in São Paulo, Brazil (7 p.m. CT, YouTube, KSHB-TV 41, 96.5 The Fan), Reid will coach against Harbaugh’s son Jim, now head coach of the Chargers. And until the first dynamic kickoff, that family will hold Reid in high regard.

Aug 10, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh catches the ball during the game against he New Orleans Saints at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

“The way John talks about Andy,” Jim Harbaugh told Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times, “and the way Andy treated our family, we were always welcome around the team, in the meal room, the meetings. Couldn’t have been more amazing. A class act all the way. Just first class.”

Reconnecting with the Eagles

That team, of course, was the Philadelphia Eagles. Jim Harbaugh was nearing the end of his playing career in 1999, when Reid opted to retain brother John as the Eagles’ special teams coordinator. That’s where John stayed until the Ravens named him head coach in 2007.

Farmer said Jack Harbaugh and Reid had forgotten about stuffing those teddy bears until they reconnected in Philadelphia while the patriarch was visiting his son.

“Andy Reid holds a special place in the heart of our family,” Jack Harbaugh told Farmer.

That special place understandably will take a back seat Friday night against Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers. While Reid has been nice to the Harbaugh family when he’s not playing one of the sons, he’s been fairly rude when they meet in games.

Reid against the Harbaugh family

Overall against both Jim and John Harbaugh, Reid is 9-3, including postseason. He’s 7-2 against John (one loss with both the Eagles and Chiefs) and 2-1 against Jim Harbaugh (a 2014 loss to the 49ers and two wins last year).

Jim Harbaugh, however, has won all five of his Week 1 games as an NFL head coach, including 2011-14 with San Francisco and last season’s 22-10 win over the Raiders in his Chargers debut. He’s one of four active head coaches (Nick Sirianni is 4-0, Mike McDaniel is 3-0 and Mike Macdonald 1-0) without a Week 1 loss in his career.

Regardless of Friday’s outcome, the AFC West has assembled arguably the greatest roster of head coaches in NFL history.

Jan 8, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh s father Jack Harbaugh watches the Michigan Wolverines play against the Washington Huskies in the 2024 College Football Playoff national championship game at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Jim Harbaugh and Reid, along with the Broncos’ Sean Payton and the Raiders’ Pete Carroll have combined to capture five Super Bowl championships and 10 conference crowns. Harbaugh is the only member of the group who hasn’t won a Super Bowl; his 49ers fell a few yards short against brother John and the Ravens 11 years ago.

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