Chiefs make the
‘safe’ choice by
hiring Crennel
In what was probably the least earth-shaking announcement in the NFL during the past week, Romeo Crennel was fired as interim head coach of the Chiefs and hired as the head coach.
Both moves came within seconds of each other.
The decision by general manager Scott Pioli seemed inevitable. After all, the two have a long history going back to their days with the New England Patriots. And after the team’s 2-1 finish in the regular season when Crennel
was head coach - along with overwhelming support from the players - it would seem that any other decision by Pioli would have cause a lot of turmoil within the ranks.
So why did Pioli interview about six other candidates for the job, as he claims, including Green Bay offensive coordinator Joe Philbin?
Believe it or not, sometimes general managers have ulterior motives. Sometimes, the interview process gives them an opportunity to learn more about other players they may be looking at.
For example, when the Chiefs hired Jim Zorn (formerly of Baltimore) as their quarterbacks coach, it’s no accident that the team also ended up signing free agent fullback Le’Ron McLain, nose tackle Kelly Gregg and offensive tackle Jared Gaither from the Ravens.
So what does that tell us?
It’s possible that when Pioli brought in Philbin for an interview, he was much less interested in the offensive coordinator than he was in backup quarterback Matt Flynn who had just shredded the Lions for 480 yards and six touchdowns. If the Chiefs are in search of a franchise quarterback then Philbin would be as informed as anyone as to Flynn’s potential in the NFL.
We may learn more in the upcoming weeks when the Chiefs have to make a decision regarding whether or not to sign free agent Kyle Orton to a long-term deal, how committed the team is to Matt Cassel or whether they open up their checkbook and bring in Flynn.
In the end, hiring Crennel was a safe move.
For one thing, it provides some continuity for a team that is capable of going deep into the playoffs once it gets healthy. If it turns out that Cassel is our starting quarterback next season, this is a much better situation for him. In all fairness to Cassel, he is looking at the prospect of his sixth offensive coordinator in just four years, including Josh McDaniel (New England), Chan Gailey, Todd Haley, Charlie Weis, Bill Muir and whomever the Chiefs bring in next season.
At least Crennel provides some stability and the prospect that there won’t be a major change in the offense. That stability will be further enhanced should Zorn be promoted from quarterback coach to offensive coordinator.
I won’t pretend to get into the mind of Pioli, but if Muir is brought back as the offensive coordinator next season I’ll jump into the freezing Missouri River wearing nothing but my boxers and a smile.
Guaranteed.
The big question now is who Crennel will bring onto the staff as his top two coordinators. There’s a lot of speculation surrounding candidates for offensive coordinator, including recently fired Brian Schottenheimer (former offensive coordinator with the Jets) and Hue Jackson (former head coach with the Raiders).
Speculation is that Marty Schottenheimer is coming out of retirement and is being considered for the head coaching job with Tampa Bay. If that happens, there’s a good chance Brian will also join the Buccaneers’ staff. Jackson was a pretty good coordinator at Oakland before being promoted this past year to head coach. But I lean towards Zorn getting the job.
Again, it comes down to continuity.
It’s possible that Crennel could be both defensive coordinator and head coach, which he did for the final three games. I would rather see him bring in a defensive coordinator he can trust to relieve some of his workload.
Free Agent Questions
Along with the coordinator vacancies, the Chiefs will also have to address questions surrounding free agency. In addition to Orton, the team must also decide whether to sign cornerback Brandon Carr and wide receiver Dwayne Bowe.
Carr and Bowe would appear to be no-brainers.
Carr, along with Brandon Flowers, gives us two of the best corners in the league. We have a defense that’s becoming one of the best in the NFL. Carr has to be a part of our future.
Likewise, if you can overlook the occasional dropped pass, Bowe is still one of the best receivers in the league. The Chiefs signed him out of college and we need to make sure he remains a Chief for a long time.
Orton is another matter. It depends on how much crazy money another team may be willing to throw at him. And, as we’ve seen, some teams are desperate for an experienced quarterback.
Two things to keep in mind.
When Crennel was hired a head coach he said this was the job he wanted because he wanted to win Super Bowls here. This is a coach who already owns five Super Bowl rings. He obviously knows how close this team is to competing for a sixth ring.
At the same time, Pioli is also feeling pressure to win, and that means giving Crennel the weapons he needs. We’re nearing the end of the “rebuilding” process and now it’s a matter of building depth so we can weather injuries like we suffered through this past season. We’re very close - maybe closer than many people think - to being a Super Bowl-caliber team.
The X Factor (Ty Rowton) is a former Scott City resident who has been inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame as a Chiefs Super Fan. He provides weekly commentary and insight about the Kansas City Chiefs. To learn more about X-Factor’s charity events visit www.kcsuperfans.com