Andy Reid Hints at Chiefs' 4th-Down Plans for Super Bowl 59

Feb 3, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid during Super Bowl LIX Opening Night at Ceasars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Feb 3, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid during Super Bowl LIX Opening Night at Ceasars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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With the hours counting down until the Kansas City Chiefs battle the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX, the talk has shifted from retirement rumors and bitter rivals to the game on the field.

One of the most intriguing aspects is the Eagles’ aggressiveness on fourth down. Philadelphia tied for 10th with 27 fourth-down conversion attempts this season while the Chiefs were one of the more conservative teams, finishing 26th with 16 fourth-down attempts.

The Eagles’ willingness to go for broke probably won’t disappear in the biggest game of the season but it gives Andy Reid something to think about as the Chiefs go for their third straight championship.

Andy Reid Says Chiefs’ Fourth Down Philosophy Could Change During Super Bowl

Reid dove into his thought process when addressing reporters at the Super Bowl on Thursday. While Reid didn’t say he would go all-in on fourth downs, he admitted it was a factor into the Chiefs’ gameplan.

“Philly stays aggressive on their fourth downs,” Reid said via Charles Goldman of A to Z Sports. “On the other side of that, you do the same within reason.”

The Eagles have a good reason for going for it on fourth down. Philadelphia had the fourth-highest fourth-down conversion rate in the NFL at 70.4% this season and the perfection of the quarterback sneak (aka “The Tush Push” or “The Brotherly Shove”) makes it a near-automatic conversion on any short-yardage situation.

This is where Reid’s “within reason” caveat comes into play. The Chiefs probably don’t want to hurl Patrick Mahomes into an opponent’s defensive line and Hurts has already paid the price, suffering a concussion last December. Kansas City has also been more effective on fourth-down conversions with a 70.6% conversion rate that ranked third behind the Washington Commanders (87.0%) and Buffalo Bills (72.7%) this season.

It makes the case to wait to head to the fridge when a fourth down comes up on Sunday evening and could be one of the most compelling in-game storylines of this year’s Super Bowl.

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