The Philadelphia Eagles fired Andy Reid on Monday, finally putting an end to speculation surrounding the team's coach for the last 14 years. Reid exits the franchise with twice as many wins as any other coach in Eagles history, and just three seasons with a record under .500. Unfortunately for Reid, the Eagles struggled in the last two years despite an endless amount of preseason hype surrounding the franchise. A 4-12 season is unacceptable for a franchise that Reid took to new heights during his tenure as head coach, and it just seemed like time for him to go.
Under Reid, the Eagles won seven NFC East championships, and also won the 2004 NFC Championship. Prior to Reid's arrival for the 1999 season, the Eagles had won just two NFC East championships and one NFC championship since the merger. But Reid never won a Super Bowl with the Eagles, and the team hadn't won a playoff game since 2008.
Reid will be a hot name on the coaching market this winter, with the Chargers and Browns both potentially interested. But I don't think that Reid is going to jump at the first opportunity he's offered. Reid will look for the ideal situation for him, and I wouldn't be surprised at all if he took the 2013 season off to recharge his batteries. As for the Eagles, whoever becomes their next head coach is entering an interesting situation. With skill players like Jeremy Maclin, Desean Jackson, and LeSean McCoy in the fold, Philadelphia has a solid core in place. If the team stays healthy in 2013, they seem to be a lock to win more than four games next season. However, the quarterback situation is still up in the air with Michael Vick and Nick Foles, and the lofty (rightfully so) expectations of the Philadelphia fanbase could crush the wrong man as he enters the job. General manager Howie Roseman and owner Jeffrey Lurie have an important decision to make when it comes to picking Reid's successor, and getting things right is of the utmost importance for this franchise going forward.
