The Philadelphia Eagles and their deep commitment to Andy Reid has been heavily debated, to say the least. Eagles fans like myself have been divided for years on whether Reid should keep getting chances for a Super Bowl, or if he should be dumped so Philadelphia could start over. If the Birds keep falling short in the next year or two, it may be his time to go anyway - but all of that looks irrelevant at the moment now.
It became irrelevant when the coach's troubled son, Garrett Reid, was found dead in his Lehigh dorm room on Aug. 5. The younger Reid had struggled for years with drug addiction and drug-related arrests, so this news may not have completely surprised anyone. Yet as sadly inevitable as this might have been, the Eagles were still blindsided by the news, as tight end Brent Celek stated they were all "in a state of shock."
In five weeks, Philadelphia will begin a season that could determine Reid's very future with the Eagles. And if the Birds get off to another disappointing start, the calls for his firing could still resume in full force. Of course, such problems are put in their proper, less meaningful context after something like the death of a son.
As such, while the city of Philadelphia may be tempted to turn on Reid for good if the Eagles don't win soon, it has to put that aside right now. Of course, if he returns and the Eagles start off poorly in September and October, some fans will probably accuse Reid of not being focused enough. But his family life and his football life have seemed to be intertwined for some time anyway.
Reid's experiences with Garrett were widely speculated as why he took a chance on another man with a checkered past. Michael Vick was written off after his prison sentence for dog fighting ended, yet Reid stuck his neck out and thought he could change - as he obviously tried to believe in Garrett's case as well. He couldn't give up on him, and now the Eagles will surely prove that they won't give up on Reid.
The franchise has always stuck by him even when he couldn't deliver on the field, and even when the fan base lost patience with him. The Eagles certainly won't let Reid down during these much tougher times - and if they are inspired to win for him when the season starts, it can help him cope in its own small way.
The city that has both loved and hated Reid for years will likely/hopefully come around him the same way - but will it be as supportive if the Eagles can't win for him? After all, one of the framing devices for this year was that it was Reid's last chance to win here, or at least one of his last chances.
It is irrelevant now, but time will tell if it stays irrelevant for enough people as the weeks go by, the mourning process goes on for the Reid family, and the season draws nearer for his team.
Robert Dougherty is a life-long Philadelphia resident who has followed the Eagles since he was eight years old.
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