A week after being humbled by Superman Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills, the Kansas City Chiefs eked out a closely fought 30-27 win over the Panthers in Carolina. The reigning, back-to-back Super Bowl champions left it late, though, needing a game-winning field goal by Spencer Shrader to ice the contest.
The Panthers and Bryce Young kept it close, but Patrick Mahomes was back to his best and not to be denied after several uncharacteristically lacklustre performances of late. The superstar quarterback finished the Panthers matchup with three touchdowns and 269 yards, completing 27 of 37 pass attempts.
It kept the 10-1 Chiefs rolling after the disappointment of last week, and afterwards head coach Andy Reid gave a stirring locker room speech to fire his all-conquering team up. The Chiefs shared a video of ‘Big Red’ delivering his message to the team, the contents of which largely centred on the consensus best team in football having a target on their backs as they chase an unprecedented Super Bowl three-peat. “So look, I don’t want to see anybody hanging their head, men,” a more emotional than usual Reid said.
“This league is crazy. That’s the way this thing goes. You saw it yesterday with college football. Nothing’s given to you. And you’re getting their best shot. “So you keep your heads up, men. And you get this thing rolling. We’ve got some things we’ve got to clean up. But we keep it rolling here. That’s the important part. Winning is the important part right here. And you guys beared down and got it done.” Fans were loving Reid’s speech, with one person writing on X: “Couldn’t have said this any better.” “Well said coach,” added another.
Andy Reid gave a rousing locker room speech to fire his team up
The game was especially noteworthy for Reid, who is the highest paid coach in US professional sports for the 2024-25 season. With the victory against the Panthers, the 66-year-old joined an elite club of coaches with 19 or more seasons of 10+ wins, trailing only Bill Belichick and Don Shula.
His consistency is undeniable, evidenced by his ten consecutive seasons with 10+ wins, second only to New England Patriots legend Belichick’s 17-year streak. Reid started his NFL head coaching career with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1999, transforming the franchise over 14 largely successful seasons.
However, he failed to capture a Lombardi, losing to Belichick in Super Bowl XXXIX, and left the franchise in 2012. Reid joined the Chiefs in 2013, marking the beginning of one of the NFL’s greatest modern dynasties. He has led Kansas City to three Super Bowl titles and six consecutive AFC Championship game appearances, helped in large part by future Hall of Fame duo Mahomes and Travis Kelce.
Reid gave a special shout out to Mahomes after the win against the Panthers, crediting his feel for the game. “Pat had a big day,” Reid said. “He has a great feel for the game. He knows coverage, where guys are and what they’re trying to do. Accomplish with the coverage and then he can feel the front. Does a nice job there.”
“You always want to have some blowouts and be a little calmer in the fourth quarter,” Mahomes admitted. “But it could be a good thing when you get to the playoffs later in the season, knowing that you’ve been in those moments before and knowing how to attack it play by play.” Next up for the defending champion Chiefs is a divisional grudge match with bitter rivals Maxx Crosby and the Las Vegas Raiders on Black Friday.
