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The Eagles won’t be playing in Super Bowl LIV, sadly, but Philadelphia will certainly not be lacking representation in this year’s big game. Here’s a look at a bunch of Eagles connections to this year’s conference champions: the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
ANDY REID - HEAD COACH
Duh.
Reid coached the Eagles from 1999 through 2012, going 130-93-1 in the regular season and 10-9 in the playoffs. The Eagles appeared in five NFC Championship Games and one Super Bowl during his tenure.
Unfortunately, the Eagles could never get over the hump with Reid. But there’s no question Big Red had an influence on the Eagles’ Super Bowl LII win. Doug Pederson obviously used to be a Reid assistant and Nick Foles was a Reid draft pick.
Now it’s time for Andy to finally get a ring of his own.
LESEAN MCCOY - RUNNING BACK
The Eagles’ all-time leading rusher had 101 rushes during the regular season but he hasn’t played since Week 15. McCoy has been a healthy scratch at times ... will that be the case in the Super Bowl?
TRAVIS KELCE - TIGHT END
The Chiefs’ starting tight end is the little brother of Eagles starting center Jason Kelce.
Jason Kelce is there celebrating with his brother Travis
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) January 19, 2020
Another Kelce going to Super Bowl
@thecheckdown
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STEFEN WISNIEWSKI - LEFT GUARD
Wisniewski made 27 starts in 49 total games played for the Eagles from 2016 through 2018. He started at left guard during the Eagles’ Super Bowl LII win. The Eagles released Wis in final cuts prior to the 2019 season after he struggled in training camp and preseason games. The Chiefs picked him up and he served as a backup until injuries forced him into the starting lineup late in the season.
JAMES WINCHESTER - LONG SNAPPER
Winchester spent two weeks in Eagles training camp back in 2013 when Jon Dorenbos was recovering from a concussion. Winchester has been the Chiefs’ long snapper since 2015.
BRETT VEACH - GENERAL MANAGER
The Chiefs’ GM was a coaching intern for the Eagles from 2004 through 2007 before serving as a direct assistant to Reid for two years. Veach then moved into scouting from 2010 through 2013 before leaving for Kansas City. The Chiefs fired former general manager John Dorsey in the summer of 2017 and replaced him with Veach.
STEVE SPAGNUOLO - DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR
The Chiefs fired much-maligned defensive coordinator Bob Sutton after last year and replaced him with Spagnuolo. Spags previously worked under Reid in Philly from 1999 through 2006.
ERIC BIENIEMY - OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR
KC’s OC didn’t coach for the Eagles but he did briefly play for the Birds in 1999. He had 12 carries in Reid’s first year in Philly.
MIKE KAFKA - QUARTERBACKS COACH
The Eagles selected Kafka with a fourth-round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. The only 16 pass attempts of his NFL career came with Philly. If Jeremy Maclin doesn’t drop a perfect pass, Kafka is remembered for leading a comeback against the Falcons ... and the Eagles make the 2012 NFL playoffs instead of the New York Giants, who went on to win the Super Bowl.
The Eagles are reportedly expected to request an interview with Kafka for the team’s offensive coordinator vacancy.
GREG LEWIS - WIDE RECEIVERS COACH
Lewis played for the Eagles from 2003 through 2008. He was the wide receivers coach on Pederson’s original staff in 2016 before the Eagles fired him after one season.
BRITT REID - LINEBACKERS/OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS COACH
Andy’s son was the Eagles’ training camp coordinator in 2009.
RICK BURKHOLDER - VICE PRESIDENT OF SPORTS MEDICINE AND PERFORMANCE
Burkholder used to be Reid’s head athletic trainer in Philly. The Eagles used to make Burkholder available to the media to ask about injuries. It’s a bummer the Eagles aren’t nearly as transparent about injuries now.
BARRY RUBIN - STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING
Rubin worked for the Eagles from 2008 through 2012.
TRAVIS CRITTENDEN - STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING ASSISTANT
Crittenden worked for the Eagles in 2012.
MIKE FRAZIER - STATISTICAL ANALYSIS COORDINATOR
Frazier previously held this position with the Eagles from 2003 through 2012.
CHRIS SHEA - ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PLAYER PERSONNEL
Shea joined the Eagles as a director of scouting administration/strategic management in 2015 before being hired away by the Chiefs in 2017.
MIKE BRADWAY - ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE SCOUTING
Bradway worked in the Eagles’ scouting department for seven years before joining the Chiefs after Philly’s Super Bowl run.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
RAHEEM MOSTERT - RUNNING BACK
The Eagles signed Mostert as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2015. He led the team in rushing, receiving, and kick return yards in the preseason before Chip Kelly cut him and put him on the practice squad. The Miami Dolphins signed Mostert off the Eagles’ practice squad and that began a journey around the league:
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Mostert has finally found a home in San Francisco. Good for him. His performance against the Green Bay Packers in this year’s NFC Championship Game was historic:
Mostert now the first player in NFL postseason history with 200 rushing yards & 4 TDs.
— Reuben Frank (@RoobNBCS) January 20, 2020
Only 9 have done it in the regular season: Jim Brown [2x], Gilchrist, Sanders, Dillon, Anderson, Portis, Martin, Henry and ... Jonas Gray?
Gray only had 8 other games with at least 12 yards!
Raheem Mostert joins LeGarrette Blount and Ricky Watters as the only players in NFL history with 4 or more rushing TD in a playoff game.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) January 20, 2020
Raheem Mostert's 220 yards rushing were the second most of the 2019-20 season. There were only three 200-yard games all year.
— Patrick Daugherty (@RotoPat) January 20, 2020
Raheem Mostert for his career is averaging 6.0 yards per carry on 178 attempts.
— Kyle Madson (@KyleAMadson) January 20, 2020
Here is the list of RBs to average that many yards on that many attempts:
Raheem Mostert https://t.co/WIkaH6iFNw
Thanks a lot, Chip!
JORDAN MATTHEWS - WIDE RECEIVER
JMatt signed with the 49ers in the 2019 offseason. Then San Fran released him in final cuts. Then the 49ers brought him back for a few weeks in October. Then the Eagles signed JMatt for a third stint in Philly and had him play 134 snaps in two games before waiving him since he was ineffective. Then the 49ers signed JMatt for a third stint with San Fran and he’s remained on the team since. JMatt has been a healthy scratch for the 49ers.
DEMECO RYANS - INSIDE LINEBACKERS COACH
Mufasa! Ryans played in 55 games (54 starts) for the Eagles from 2012 through 2015.
MILES AUSTIN - OFFENSIVE QUALITY CONTROL COACH
I’m sorry to remind you that Austin played for the Eagles in 2015.
GARRETT CELEK - TIGHT END (INJURED RESERVE)
Travis Kelce isn’t the only Super Bowl tight end with a brother who’s played in Philadelphia. Garrett is the younger brother of former Eagles tight end Brent Celek. Garrett is on IR.
JOEY ALFIERI - LINEBACKER (PRACTICE SQUAD)
The Eagles signed Alfieri as a rookie free agent following the 2019 NFL Draft. The Eagles cut him during training camp to sign Alex Ellis, a former member of the Chiefs.
CROWLEY HANLON - PRO PERSONNEL COORDINATOR
He served as a logistics coordinator for the Eagles in 2015.
MIKE MCGLINCHEY - RIGHT TACKLE
This Philly native attended William Penn Charter and grew up as an Eagles fan.
JULLIAN TAYLOR - DEFENSIVE TACKLE
Another Philly native. Went to Temple.