Eagles' Reid to Take Leave of Absence

Andy Reid, the Philadelphia Eagles Head Coach and Director of Football Operations, is taking a month-long leave of absence for family reasons.

Two of Reid's sons have recently run afoul of the law. Britt Reid, 21, was arrested on drugs and weapons charges following a road rage incident where he allegedly pointed a handgun at a motorist. Garrett Reid, 23, tested positive for heroin after a recent traffic accident. Charges are yet to be filed against Garrett, but the above link states that the authorities have said he could be charged with driving under the influence of a controlled substance, which is a misdemeanor.

Reid's leave of absence coincides with two pivotal dates on the NFL calendar: The NFL Scouting Combine and the start of the NFL's free agent period. The latter event, however, is manageable. While there's no way Reid can make the Combine, he can be kept in the loop as to what the Eagles are planning to do in free agency. Certainly, someone of Reid's stature has a home office and a few working phone lines.

More importantly, Reid taking time to help his family deal with the recent events is an admission that perhaps NFL head coaches spend too much time at the office, often at the expense of their own families. In addition to Andy Reid's kids, Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy lost his son to suicide last December, and Steven Belichick, son of New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, was arrested last June for marijuana possession.