Three days before Super Bowl LV (February 4th, 2021) Britt Reid, the linebacker's coach and son of head coach Andy Reid was involved in a multi car accident that resulted in serious brain injuries for a child, 5-year old Ariel Young in her family's car that was basically obliterated by the force of the crash. (Currently Ariel is recovering at home but still requires a feeding tube and cannot walk, talk, remember or function near a normal level).
Reid was charged after investigation and his BAC was tested to be .113, above the legal limit of .08.
Reid did not travel to the Super Bowl with the team and the impact of that incident must have strongly permeated the thoughts and mood of the entire team. The broadcast team tried their best to whitewash the incident by not mentioning anything about it until later in the game when Jim Nance called for best wishes for young Ariel. But the stench was in the air and the team grossly underperformed then and most every game since.
Sure accidents happen but this one seemed to cast a doom and gloom cloud over this team and in my opinion justifiably so. Possibly the way things were handled by the team management and league may have made a lasting poor impression. Football above all no matter what. I challenge whether the game should have been played.
Such an emotional sport, no wonder the team seems to lack the required motivation to excel this season.
Reid's trial was recently set for April, 2022.