Andy Reid’s heartwarming gifts to Jim Nantz’s son
Nantz recently shared a story that serves as the latest testament of Reid’s character.

Andy Reid is known for a lot of things: winning Super Bowls, loving cheeseburgers, and stealing “chicken nuggies.” But Reid is also known for his high character.

CBS broadcaster Jim Nantz recently shared a story that highlighted that trait during an appearance on the “What the Football with Suzy Shuster & Amy Trask” podcast.

Jim Nantz’s friendship with Andy Reid
Nantz and Reid have known each other for over 40 years. In 1981, the long-time sportscaster got his start in Salt Lake City while working for the local CBS affiliate after graduating from the University of Houston.

It was there that he called Utah Jazz games with Hot Rod Hundley, as well as BYU football games. While covering BYU football, he met a young tackle and graduate assistant named Andy Reid.

“I go back with Andy 43 years ago. He’s a great friend,” Nantz said.

Because of that friendship, Reid will always ask Nantz how his 8-year-old son is doing. And he’s taken it a step further.

When Reid won his third Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs in February, Nantz interviewed him during the presentation of the Vince Lombardi trophy. After the interview, Reid took off his hat, handed it to Nantz, and told him to give it to his son.

“My son upstairs in his bedroom has three Andy Reid championship hats. Two AFC Championship hats and one Super Bowl hat. He was at that game in Las Vegas. It’s a pretty remarkable thing. He takes that hat off and gives it to me to give to my son,” Nantz said.

“The fact that after the Super Bowl in that moment in time that he was thinking of your son speaks just volumes,” Amy Trask, one of the podcast hosts and the former CEO of the Raiders, said.

What Jim Nantz said about Andy Reid

Nantz said that’s exactly the kind of person Reid is.

Nantz’s son is under strict advisement to never wear those hats outside of the house or ever lose them, the broadcaster said.

“I’ve had him write a note every time to coach Reid just to thank him. I don’t have expectations he’s ever going to do that again, doesn’t need to. But it’s pretty special when you go from being in your 20s like we both were when we first met to know there’s a six on the front end of our age and we’re meeting on a stage and I’m presenting him with a Lombardi trophy. It’s surreal,” Nantz said.

Nantz went on to praise his long-time friend for all he’s accomplished.

“You know him and you see his massive success and what he is still achieving. There’s still a lot more to come, and there’s just a very cool bond there. And I’m grateful for that friendship,” Nantz said.

Jim Nantz’s friendship with Fred Couples

Reid isn’t Nantz’s only famous friendship from his early adulthood.

While at the University of Houston, he was roommates with Fred Couples, who would go on to become a golf legend.

“Now I didn’t have the same relationship with Andy that I did with my college roommates, but (it’s) a little bit like being in a dorm room in the University of Houston with Fred Couples — and Freddy and I are great friends to this day, brothers — and sitting around daydreaming about one day being at the Masters. He wants to win it. I want to be there to broadcast it. I want to be in the Butler cabin. I want to be there when he wins the green jacket, presenting him the green jacket. We practiced it a time or two as kids, just play-acting and dreaming, and then you fast forward to adulthood, and that moment actually plays out before the world,” Nantz said.

Couples went on to win the Masters in 1992. Nantz had become the lead anchor of the tournament just a few years before.