Reid Gets Three More Years

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In a move that's been rumored for months, the Eagles have opted to extend Andy Reid's contract, keeping the head coach and vice president of football operations in Philadelphia until 2013. Negotiations really picked up the past few days, and the timing is not a huge surprise given the recent deals reached by a couple of their young players. Les Bowen is reporting the deal makes Reid one of the top three highest paid coaches in the NFL.

Though Reid still had one year remaining under his current contract, it's uncommon for coaches to stay with a team in that capacity. The front office has obviously seen enough from this season to feel comfortable with their decision to bring him back, regardless of the final outcome. Then again, most people understood, or in many cases had simply accepted that Reid will coach the Eagles for as long as he wants. 

Until he brings a Lombardi to Philadelphia, there will always be a portion of fans who despise Reid. Whether that's fair or not, we are always quick to point out the fact that you can't win it all if you don't make it to the playoffs, something the Eagles have done with amazing regularity over the past decade. They're heading toward their eighth playoff berth in 10 years, with six, closing in on seven division championships, and already made five trips to the NFC Championship game, plus one appearance in the Super Bowl.

As an executive, Reid's ability to draft and develop players has set the pace for the Eagles. Whenever a veteran player leaves, it seems there is inevitably somebody waiting in the wings to replace him. The sudden overhaul on offense has been almost unbelievable, with Jackson, Maclin, McCoy, Celek, Avant, and Justice all products of the last four drafts. They began building the core on defense in '05 with Patt and then Bunk, and have since produced the likes of Trent Cole, Bradley, Jordan, and Mikell. With a dose of strong veteran leadership (McNabb, Westbrook, Sheldon Brown) and a dash of key outside acquisitions (Peters, Samuel), Reid has his team poised to remain a contender throughout the next decade.

Can he finally take the Eagles to the top though? Time will tell if this season or any other is finally the one, but it's been well documented the number of great coaches who frequently fell short before they were able to break through. As much as we may feel like we're ready for a regime change, it's hard to argue against sticking with a man who has been so overwhelmingly successful for such a lengthy period of time, especially when only harsh generalizations could lead anyone to believe Andy Reid can never win the big game.

Personally, I believe the extension is well deserved. If you measure every player and coach who comes through here by the number of rings on their fingers, you'll be disappointed more often than not. Reid may have some faults that at times will cost them games, but the emphasis really belongs on how many they've won under his direction. Had their season fallen apart last month when it looked like it had every right to, this might not seem so appropriate right at the moment. The fact that they're even at where they are now speaks to the great job Reid's done building and coaching this football team.

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