NFL coaches are masterminds when it comes to football. But that doesn’t mean they’re unwilling to take advice from extremely unlikely sources.
During an interview on the Green Light podcast with Chris Long, Reid proudly admitted that he seeks innovative ideas from people at all levels of football and even…janitors?
After Long asked Reid whether he had ever gotten a play or concept from a high school coach, Reid one-upped him by saying he had even taken a play from a janitor while he was an offensive coach with the Packers.
“I took one from a janitor one time in Green Bay,” Reid said to Long’s astonishment.
Andy Reid once used a JANITOR'S play design in a game...and it WORKED! #Chiefs pic.twitter.com/mXYdgY8bi7
— Green Light with Chris Long (@greenlight) August 30, 2023
“This guy kept telling me — he was the owner of the company, the father of the family — and he goes, ‘I’ve got this play for you,’” Reid said. “And he kept telling me this over and over. Finally, I said, ‘Okay, here’s a card; draw up the play.’”
After Reid examined the Janitor’s play, he was convinced he had something he could use.
“I was like, ‘Dang, that’s pretty good.’”
So convinced was Reid he used it in a game.
“We called the play just before halftime, and it scored,” Reid said. “And the [Janitor] starts hitting his wife, and he’s going, “That’s my play! That’s my play!’ and she’s going, ‘Yeah, right. Sure it is.’
“But, you know, we’ll take it from anywhere.”
Andy Reid has a reputation for being one of the more humble, down-to-earth coaches in the NFL. This story will only enhance that reputation.
