KANSAS CITY, Mo. — As they stood somewhere between a crossroads and crisis after the 2012 season, the Chiefs fixated on Andy Reid — who had just been fired in Philadelphia and stood at a moment of truth of his own.
Reid was in demand, sought also by the Cardinals and Chargers, and it’s well understood that his meeting with Clark Hunt was underscored by a sense of compelling chemistry for each that led to Reid’s hiring … and all that’s changed since for the Chiefs.
But what few might know about is one of the improbable forces who helped Reid enter that meeting with a certain conviction to begin with. Beyond former Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil, a natural matchmaker who urged on both Reid and Hunt, it was John Madden who helped nudge Reid towards critical mass in the decision by advocating he take the job.
Never mind that Madden’s coaching career was with the arch-rival Raiders, a fact that Reid had some fun with in 2013 by joking with USA Today that he planned to send Madden some Chiefs gear.
“Chances of him wearing it?” he said then. “Slim and none.”
Nonetheless, Madden understood both Reid and the Chiefs well enough to try to bring them together.
“Well, he loved to hate the Chiefs, but he loved the Hunt family,” Reid said Wednesday. “He’d tell you that they had some knockdown drag-outs. He could about remember every play.
“But he said that it’s a great organization, (and) the Hunt family’s phenomenal. He’d always remind me to tell Norma Hunt hello.”
Madden, who died Tuesday at 85, was the “soundtrack” of the NFL, as it was put in the headline of The New York Times’ obituary. He also is enshrined in the current culture of the game through the Madden NFL video-game empire, a point reinforced by players such as Patrick Mahomes and Chris Jones on Wednesday.
His reach was infinite.
“The NFL has lost a legend; John Madden was an icon of the game and football would not be what it is today without his many contributions over his long career,” Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt said in a statement. “Few men have had more of an impact on the game’s popularity and growth. Beyond his accomplishments as a Super Bowl-winning head coach, John’s passion in the broadcast booth brought the game to life for millions of fans, and the Madden video game series introduced generations of new fans to the game. He will be dearly missed.”
Madden’s sprawling influence and impact also included being a sounding board and friend to many in the profession.
And he touched Reid’s heart and career in numerous ways as what Reid considered a teacher and confidant.
As Reid put it in a statement released by the Chiefs on Tuesday, “a part of us all passed away today with the passing of John Madden.”
He already was a broadcasting phenomenon when Reid met him in Green Bay, where Reid was an assistant coach from 1992-1998 after he had been offensive line coach at Mizzou.
