Todd Bowles: Andy Reid Influenced Me a Lot

Jets head coach Todd Bowles is up against a former boss this week. Bowles worked under Chiefs head coach Andy Reid during Reid’s final season in Philadelphia in 2012. Bowles began the year as the secondary coach of the Eagles and finished it as interim defensive coordinator after the firing of Juan Castillo.

Bowles discussed the influence Reid had on him yesterday.

Andy taught me a lot. In that year, the one year where he had adversity, being that somebody passed in his family and dealing with everything he dealt with, and to go through a team like that. For him to be the same guy every day really taught you a lot about the other side of coaching and how you have to carry yourself, whether you play good or play bad. From that aspect, I probably learned more from a human aspect about coaching than I did anywhere I’ve been.

Bowles has worked under a number of very successful coaches from Reid to Bill Parcells to Bruce Arians. I think the best leaders in any situation learn from the people who they have worked under the past. They think about the things their former bosses did well and what they didn’t and mold their own style accordingly.

Bowles has spoken frequently about the influence Parcells had on him in terms of preparation. It is interesting to hear the impact Reid had on another side of the job, finding the emotional balance between work and real life.