How Andy Reid's college teaching career changed one Missouri educator's life

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KCTV) - Andy Reid has long been a teacher of men. And it turns out, not all those men wear pads and helmets.

John Diffley’s life was changed by a class he took during his freshman year at the University of Missouri.

“It was called The Coaching of Football,” Diffley said. “We needed P.E. credits.”

The class was taught by the Missouri football staff which at the time included a young offensive line coach by the name of Andy Reid. He took over the class after 4-5 weeks.

“He was without a doubt the funniest of the guys,” said Diffley. “He was very engaging with all the guys.”

It turned out to be a stroke of luck. On a campus full of hundreds of educators, Reid turned out to be one of the best.

“He was what you think of when you think of a teacher trying to level their instruction for all their students,” Diffley told KCTV5 this week.

For 11 years, Reid has now coached the game of football to Chiefs players. Diffley says that ability was evident 35 years ago.

“Andy was really good about hitting into that terminology and bringing it down to a level that everybody could understand,” Diffley said.

Amid his preparation for Saturday’s AFC Wild Card game between the Chiefs and Miami Dolphins, Reid said he still re his time as a teacher.

“I do (),” Reid said of his time at Mizzou. “It was a lot of fun. It was a fun class.”

It turned out to be more than just fun for Reid. It was life-changing for Diffley.

“I was kind of thinking I want to be an ant and after that class, I thought ‘you know what? I gotta do this,’” said Diffley, who now serves as a business teacher and football coach at his alma mater, Christian Brothers College High School in St. Louis. “So I went back to school here in St. Louis and changed my major to education.”

“Here I am in year 31 and it’s been a great ride,” he said.

When football fans think of Andy Reid’s coaching tree, they often think of Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson or Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. And while Andy Reid might be a tough teacher, Diffley wound up with a great grade.

“I got an ‘A.’ But I mainly got an ‘A’ because I showed up for every class,” Diffley said with a laugh.

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