Travis Kelce would never dare do to Bill Belichick what he did to Andy Reid, says Julian…

Travis Kelce would never dare do to Bill Belichick what he did to Andy Reid, says Julian Edelman

Bill Belichick and Andy Reid represent opposite ends of NFL coaching. They are two of the most successful head coaches in the league, but they embody different types of authority. Julian Edelman believes that Rob Gronkowski would never have dared to throw the tantrum with Belichick that Travis Kelce threw at Reid during Super Bowl LVIII.

Nearly six months ago, when the Vince Lombardi Trophy game between Reid’s Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers was at its peak, frustration got the best of Kelce. The star tight end confronted his head coach and demanded, using expletives, that he be sent onto the field.

The moment went viral. Social and mainstream media analyzed the incident from all angles, and lip readers provided similar versions of what Kelce said to Reid.

The vast majority condemned the tight end’s attitude. A few days later, Kelce apologized, saying it had all happened in the heat of the game. However, the moment continues to cause controversy, to the point that Edelman weighed in half a year later.

Belichick commanded respect
Belichick’s mere presence demanded respect, Edelman recalled in a talk on the “Games with Names” podcast. In 24 years at the helm of the New England Patriots, Bill Belichick knew how to earn the appreciation and respect of his players.

“No one’s touching Bill,”Edelman stressed. “With the amount of respect that he demanded on a daily basis, like when he came into the auditorium, people got up, shoulders were back, ears were pinned. That’s the kind of presence he has,” explained the Patriots wide receiver.

Belichick had control of New England’s football operations on and off the field. Being the head coach and de facto general manager, there was no one to challenge his authority, Edelman explained.

Although Reid also has the respect of his team, they are two different styles of coaching. That’s not counting the character differences between Gronkowski and Kelce, Edelman noted.