Harbaugh Shares 4 Words From Chiefs’ Reid That Shaped Perspective

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Broadway is eight miles from MetLife Stadium, across the Hudson River. But John Harbaugh might as well have been on stage at a musical on Tuesday.

His introductory press conference as Giants head coach marked the beginning of his second act. Fortunately for Harbaugh, one of his NFL mentors has already written that script: Andy Reid.

“Andy’s a man of few words,” Harbaugh said Tuesday afternoon. “His four words to me were, ‘Change can be good.’ That's what he said. Change can be good.”

reid, harbaug — October 5, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh (left) shakes hands with Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid (right) after the game at Levi's Stadium. The 49ers defeated the Chiefs 22-17. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Change can be good for Chiefs, too

Ironically, Reid on Monday moved forward with an important change of his own – a new offensive coordinator. Although, bringing back Eric Bieniemy was more of a shift toward the past.

Harbaugh’s change was taking the Giants’ offer after Baltimore, the organization for which he’d served as head coach since 2008, fired him earlier this month.

harbaugh, winston — New Head Coach John Harbaugh shakes hands New York Giants quarterback Jameis Winston during a press conference introducing Harbaugh at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2025. | Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

And before Harbaugh took that Ravens post in 2008, he’d served nine years under Reid in Philadelphia, eight of which were as special-teams coordinator.

For the first time in 2026, Reid will have coached as many seasons in Kansas City as Philadelphia. Over 14 years as Eagles head coach (1999-2012), he was 140-102-1 over 243 games.

andy rei — Nov 23, 2008; Baltimore, MD, USA; Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid before the game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images | James Lang-Imagn Images

Through his first 13 years in Kansas City, including his first losing season as Chiefs head coach in 2025, Reid is 167-72 in 239 contests.

“He was excited,” Harbaugh said, noting Reid’s reaction to Harbaugh’s new job. “He's fired up for us. He's a good friend. … How about we do this: How about we do that deal that right now? We’ll sign up for that deal right now, what he did in Kansas City. Let's do that.”

Harbaugh did something Reid didn't in Act 1

Harbaugh actually did something in his first act that Reid didn’t do in his: Win a Super Bowl. The Ravens beat Harbaugh’s brother and the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 47 to end the 2012 season. Reid guided the Eagles to the NFC title game to four straight years before losing the Super Bowl in 2004 to Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and the Patriots.

Before Reid led the Chiefs to consecutive Super Bowl titles in 2022 and 2023, no NFL team had repeated as league champion since those 2004 Patriots.

Harbaugh in 18 seasons as Ravens head coach finished 306-191 in 497 games.

Reid’s Kansas City tenure, entering Year 14, became the NFL’s longest active stretch for a head coach when Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin stepped away last week. Harbaugh had held the league’s second-longest tenure.

Reid, who turns 68 in March, is now the league’s oldest active head coach. Harbaugh, 63, becomes the second-oldest after the Raiders fired 74-year-old Pete Carroll earlier this month.

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