SÃO PAULO, Brazil — Seems, the marquee matchup Friday evening between the Chargers and Kansas Metropolis Chiefs isn’t only a season-opening showdown between two premier quarterbacks and legit Tremendous Bowl hopefuls.
It’s additionally a household feud — minus the unhealthy blood.
Devin Woodhouse, head energy and conditioning coach for the Chargers, is the son-in-law of Chiefs coach Andy Reid, an under-the-radar connection that additional hems these AFC West rivals.
“In our first sport final yr, I used to be a bit of anxious enjoying them,” Woodhouse informed The Instances. “It felt bizarre rooting in opposition to him at occasions.”
Reid understands, and he loves the truth that earlier than bringing Woodhouse with him from the College of Michigan, Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh referred to as his Kansas Metropolis counterpart and requested him if that might be OK.
“I stated, ‘Heck, yeah, I’m honored that he’s bought a possibility to be just right for you,’” Reid stated. “I bought the largest kick out of that, that Jim would even consider that. … What a category act.”
Chargers energy and conditioning coach Devin Woodhouse instructs gamers throughout follow at The Bolt in El Segundo on Dec. 13, 2024.
(Los Angeles Chargers)
Woodhouse, modest and centered on his Chargers tasks, was initially reluctant to take a seat down for an interview. However Harbaugh and Reid nudged him to speak, as did his direct boss, Ben Herbert, government director of participant efficiency.
“I don’t need to dim that mild on him,” Herbert stated. “I need that mild brighter.”
Woodhouse, 34, who grew up in Rancho Cucamonga, met his future spouse, Drew Ann Reid, once they have been members of the identical ward of their church in Provo, Utah. They’d mutual pals, an prompt connection and have been married in 2013.
The couple was additional bonded by tragedy. Drew Ann’s older brother, Garrett, who struggled with drug abuse for years, died in 2012. The dual brother of Woodhouse, Chaz, who was confined to a wheelchair with cerebral palsy, died a yr later.
“As our relationship was rising, her brother handed away,” Woodhouse stated. “We grew even nearer collectively.”
The 2 now have 4 youngsters, two boys and two ladies, all of whom check with Reid as “Gramps.” Woodhouse doesn’t name his father-in-law something however “Coach.”
“I’d say he’s a greater man than he’s a coach, and he’s a fairly dang good coach,” Woodhouse stated. “And [mother-in-law] Tammy is the pinnacle coach of the pinnacle coach, in order that’s how good they each are. I simply love them, and never simply the folks they’re for my spouse, however for my children and their grandkids.
“One of many issues I really like most about Coach Reid is how a lot I really feel folks like to play for him. It’s a cool factor to witness and I respect it lots.”
Woodhouse feels the identical approach about Harbaugh, for whom he and Herbert labored on the College of Michigan.
“Ben Herbert discovered Dev,” Harbaugh stated. “When Herb recommends any person, I already realize it’s going to be good. He doesn’t herald anyone who doesn’t have an amazing work ethic. Devin got here in, and Herb was proper.”
Herbert is meticulous right down to the smallest element. For example, every dumbbell on the Chargers facility is emblazoned with the membership’s lightning-bolt brand. Not solely is that wall of weights all the time exactly organized, however each lightning bolt is arched in an similar approach. To make sure there’s by no means a speck of mud on the ground, Herbert and his crew use electrical leaf blowers every day to wash the large area.
Serving to oversee the bodily well-being of so many elite athletes is a difficult project, significantly for a franchise that has an unlucky historical past of dropping key gamers to accidents — because the Chargers did in August with left deal with Rashawn Slater, who sustained a season-ending knee damage.
Chargers energy and conditioning coach Devin Woodhouse helps quarterback Justin Herbert along with his jersey throughout coaching camp in El Segundo on July 21, 2025.
(Ty Nowell / Los Angeles Chargers)
The best way Harbaugh sees it, nobody is healthier geared up to coach an NFL crew than Herbert.
“We’re the tip of the spear,” stated Herbert, who will not be associated to Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert. “Our job is to influence the psychological and bodily functionality of the gamers. The bodily half is far simpler. The psychological half — emotional stability, consistency — that’s the separator. And belief is every little thing.”
Woodhouse has a knack for constructing and sustaining these trusts.
“He has a capability to construct relationships throughout a melting pot of personalities,” Herbert stated. “He’s additionally versatile throughout range-of-motion, tissue and joint, energy, energy and motion traits. A lot in order that with my 14-year-old, twice every week I need Coach Woodhouse to work with him.”
Woodhouse has a very eager eye in relation to evaluating the tiniest features of an individual in movement, serving to gamers make refined changes to the best way they run so as to enhance their velocity.
Chargers energy and conditioning coach Devin Woodhouse works with Chargers broad receiver Ladd McConkey earlier than a sport at SoFi Stadium in opposition to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Dec. 15, 2024.
(Ty Nowell / Los Angeles Chargers)
“Dev’s somebody who’s going to help you, however he’s going to inform it like it’s,” Chargers receiver Ladd McConkey stated. “I’ll be working a route, and Dev’s over there along with his cellphone recording me. Then we’ll take a look at it in slo-mo and break it down.”
Throughout video games, Woodhouse is on the sideline as a “get-back” coach — a time period he doesn’t significantly like — ensuring gamers and coaches hold a ample distance from the sphere.
As for his personal feelings, he figures he may have them in examine, even along with his father-in-law on the alternative sideline.
Household is household, true. However soccer is soccer.
