In many ways, for many people, this one was for Andy Reid.
Twenty-one seasons into a stellar career as a head coach, an offensive maestro long on victories but always absent of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy finally realized Super Bowl glory upon a red-and-yellow Sunday evening in South Florida.
For all the triumphs, there were plenty of tribulations as well and was this ultimate Super Bowl victory worth all the wait?
"Absolutely. Absolutely," Reid replied to FOX's Chris Myers amid a sea of celebration following the Chiefs' riveting rally to best the 49ers, 31-20, to win Super Bowl LIV. "Love this guy [Patrick Mahomes] right here. And all those guys that came before, love you too man. That's what it's all about. What a great team. Great coaches. Appreciate every bit of it."
A smile fit perfectly under Reid's trademark stache just moments after finally winning his first Super Bowl as he embraced the game's MVP -- Mahomes. Along with the wait, it's clear Reid has built close relationships with players then and now.
After all the confetti fell, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce was teary-eyed as he thanked Reid.
"Man, a lot emotion, man. A lot of emotion," Kelce said. "I'm so excited for Andy Reid. Getting that ring for him, bringing that Lombardi home to Kansas City means the world."
It was the Chiefs' first Super Bowl title in 50 years as Reid stands alongside Hank Stram as the only coaches to bring Kansas City a crown.
Per Kelce's account, it's a product of hard work and building relationships that have players celebrating their coach's success as much as their own.
"You see how hard that guy works," Kelce said. "You see how personable he is. He acts like a father figure in the building to everybody and you appreciate you that. You appreciate it for what it is. There's days where I see that guy's car never move. And you can see how much work he puts in on a weekly basis just to get us in the right opportunities to succeed. I'm forever grateful for that. I'm able to live my life, have a paycheck, be able to eat because this guy puts in his heart into what he does and I'm forever thankful for how hard he's worked and for him giving me the opportunity to play in Kansas City."
Ahead of Sunday's long-awaited triumph, somehow accomplishments such as 207 wins in the regular season and 14 victories in the postseason were seen in a negative hue.
Reid had the most regular-season and playoff wins without a Super Bowl title in NFL chronicle. That's all over now, though, smothered by red and yellow confetti and drowned out by Chiefs cheers and acclaim.
"I'm good. I'm good man," said Reid, who memorably led the Eagles to five NFC Championship Games and one Super Bowl loss. "My heart's racing. I'm getting older. Can't let it race too fast."
From Glendale Community College to Brigham Young University, with stops at San Francisco State, Northern Arizona, UTEP and Missouri before finding his NFL footing with the Packers and then moving on to the Eagles and now the Chiefs. That was Reid's long and winding football road to get to Miami on this fateful Sunday.
Though Lombardi was elusive for so long, sentiment was not, as was evidenced in the aftermath of victory, the Eagles franchise being one of the first to tweet out congratulations. Then and now, Reid has left players and colleagues rooting and appreciating him.
And then there was Kelce, proclaiming his admiration once more for the coach who so long was known as perhaps an offensive genius, but one who couldn't win the big one. But now, Big Red has one of the biggest of big games.
"I just got a ring for Big Red," Kelce exclaimed. "We're married together forever now. He can't get rid of me. I'll be at Thanksgiving. I'll make sure one of these days I'll tell him how much I appreciate him."
