Trent Green Talks Kansas City Chiefs, Matt Cassel, New TV Gig

Former Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Trent Green joined Kevin Kietzmann on 810 WHB last week to discuss the new Matt Cassel contract, similarities and differences between his situation and Matt's, the state of the labor talks and a hint at his new TV gig.

Green noted the similarities between his situation coming into the Chiefs and Cassel's.  They both had less than one season starting under their belt and entered their new team quickly being tabbed 'the guy'.  The difference?  Money.

Green's first contract with the Rams coming off 14 starts for the Redskins: Four years, $16.5 million with a $4.5 million signing bonus

Cassel's first contract with the Chiefs coming off 15 starts for the Patriots: Six years, $63 million with $28 million guaranteed

If you're not 6'6", 230 pounds you're a midget, right?

When I came in the league in 1993, being 6'3", 215 pounds, I was big to above average. I was in the top half in terms of size.  Now most of the guys are 6'6", 230 and up. You look at JaMarcus Russell, he's about 6'6", 280 or something so it has changed quite a bit.

(Ed. Note: Matt Cassel is 6'5", 230 pounds)

Click 'continue reading' to read the entire interview. 

On the advantage Matt Cassel has coming to the Chiefs:

I think the one advantage he has is that he's coming in with a new coaching staff and a new offense philosophy. As opposed to coming into a situation where all the other guys already know the offense and so there could be some frustration with the guys in the huddle who already know everything.  You're not spending the time to catch up with everybody else.

Same situation with you?

But I already knew the offense.

But for Matt I think he's in a great situation. Obviously Todd Haley's record in Arizona, his offense he put together...he'll work with Chan and they'll come together with their version of the offense.  I think it's a huge advantage to come in with the coaches and install that.

I thought it was pretty impressive.  He's had 15 starts, right?  That's a good deal.  That's a good contract. 

Is it a mistake by the Chiefs?

Only time will tell that.  You look at guys coming out of college, the rookies and 1t rounders, guys that have done it on the NFL level, they're getting those types of contracts and you have no idea he'll ever step on the field.  But for Matt he's done it on the NFL level so those are the two similarities you gotta throw in there.

Laughing about the difference between his and Cassel's contract:

Coach Vermeil was here, he's the wine presenter tonight at an event.  He started his own wine, Vermeil wines..  He's out here for the night and we were talking because in Washington when I was with the Redskins, I started 14 games that year.  And that was really, I hadn't played in '93, '94, '95, '96, '97 and in 98 I play those 14 games that I did and sign that contract I did with St. louis. and it was nowhere near Matt's.  I said, 'Coach, Matt and I had the same experience level, you know?'

On the current state of the NFL, the economy and upcoming labor talks:

It's always interesting when you talk to the veteran quarerbacks and the guys that are retired. just about how the League has changed.  Everything has changed. I mean the economy has been bad all year for everyone except in the NFL the salary cap goes up. 

The League is doing very, very well right now. I hope they can come to terms on a labor agreement. I think any jabbing back and forth in the media is only going to term fans off and turn people off when everyone is dealing with hardship in the economy and all of a sudden you've got these billionaire owners and millionaire players arguing about certain things. I just think it's going to be a real negative for the League. So hopefully that gets cleared up real quick so it doesn't become a negative thing.

It looks like they might have saved some money

Potentially you can. In the current status the team saved some money this year, some money in cap dollars. I know the Chiefs have plenty of cap room so it wasn't a need like they need to go out and still sign a bunch of players. But from his standpoint there would have been some risk going in.  Players never like playing on a one year deal, especially in football, since there's no guarantee except for that signing bonus. 

For him it was a great deal because it gives him some security knowing the organization is behind him and knowing that it's gonna be his team and he can take full reign and he can be the leader for the next X years.  For the organization it's good to get stability at that position knowing what's happened the last few years.  It's great for the organization.

I don't know Matt at all so I'm excited about getting the chance to meet him.  Now that I'm back in Kansas City and I'm sure we'll have an opportunity to run into each other.

***

Here's where the conversation trailed off into Kevin Kietzmann asking Trent about Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson.  Trent had a nice laugh that Romo pulled a classic move - dumping a girl the day before her birthday.

The last comment was a foreshadow of what was to come the next day.  Trent was asked about his life after football.

"I'm talking to several of the networks and hopefully that will be finalized hopefully this week or next week.  There's a chance to do some studio work and some games so we just have to find what's a good mix for me and for them."

Trent, of course, is going to be working a couple Rams games for the local FOX affiliate.