Chiefs' Crennel Talks About Haley, Weis Working Together

by Joel Thorman on Jan 22, 2010 4:36 PM CST

Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel is making the media rounds as he prepares to coach the East squad in the East-West Shrine Game. We already told you about one interview this morning, but Crennel also joined Tom Waddle and Marc Silverman on ESPN Radio 1000 today to talk football.

The conversation was primarily about Crennel's former coordinator, Rob Chudzinski, who may be a candidate in Chicago, but he was also asked about the working relationship between Todd Haley and Charlie Weis.

One of the hosts remembers covering Haley during his days in Chicago and suggested Crennel may need to play referee at times with two strong personalities.

"They're both intense guys at times but they're pros as far as football goes," he said. "You can agree to disagree. I think that will be the case with those two guys - to agree to disagree - but once they walk out of the room, they'll be on the same page.

"This is something I learned a long time ago and I think it still applies today - the head coach might not always be right but he's still the head coach."

I think that's a good attitude to have.

While it's important to have various opinions on players and schemes, there needs to be a clear line of who's in charge. It sounds like Crennel understands that.

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Comments

are we going to have a coaching contreversy in kc

I hope not but I can already predict fatlocks comments mid season saying why isn’t weis running this team.

FOUR F'S FIND UM FEEL UM FUGUM FORGET UM.

by sexassassin on Jan 22, 2010 4:46 PM CST via mobile reply actions

What I really like about the whole Chiefs new heirarchy is disagreement and debate is encouraged. There’s no butt kissing the boss, which is the bane of too many organizations, both in and out of football. I love it that Haley and Carthon can exchange FU’s, or Players can yell at Haley, without any recriminations. You get better ideas when subordinates are encouraged to disagree with the boss, and the boss is open minded and ego free enough(sorry Whitless) to consider their ideas, rather than always thinking he’s right.

by dablueguy on Jan 22, 2010 4:49 PM CST reply actions

Kind of like the prevailing spirit here on AP,

There are unwritten rules for frank and honest discussion. It’s good when the other guy understands those rules.

Prediction for '09: Chiefs are looking like a .500 team, especially considering Denver's inattention to D-Line, Chokeland's disarray, and a San Diego team that looks like it's on the decline. With a weak schedule, Chiefs steal a few and win between 7 and 9 games, and if .500 or better, will contend for supremacy in a weak division.

by hmills110 on Jan 22, 2010 11:20 PM CST up reply actions

we are going to have a good coaching staff

Haley has worked with Weis in the past, as has Pioli with both Weis and Crennel. I dont see a future Chernobyl in the making like Whitlock is predicting. I think Haley is going to grow alot this offseason and during the season because of Weis and Crennel. We all should be excited seeing this trio on the field and what they are GOING to produce. It is only a matter of time before everyone realizes we put together a good coaching staff this offseason.

Warriors come out and play

by jrcnc on Jan 22, 2010 4:55 PM CST reply actions

A question

With Haley as the spokesperson in public for the Chiefs as Head Coach.
Will Weis and Crennel as “Well known and candid” speakers be allowed to continue to voice opinions in KC?

"For what we are about to see next, we must enter quietly into the realm of genius." Scott "Young Frankenstein" Pioli

by Steve_Chiefs on Jan 22, 2010 5:06 PM CST reply actions

I don't think so.

This ship is locked up pretty tight. Thats ok with me.

"Leave the gun. Take the cannoli."

"Mr. Pioli is a man who insists on hearing bad news immediately."

by Don Piolie's Consigliere on Jan 23, 2010 2:14 AM CST up reply actions

IF Haley is wiser than his years...

he’ll know an HC sets the direction for the team and hires people that work in that direction. Then he must trust those people to do what they do best and let them do their job.

Only if they are not working in the direction or getting the job done as it should be should the HC interject directly into the OC and DC work.

If he didn’t think he could trust them to fit his direction, what was the point of hiring them in the first place?

Big Bear

by bigbearomaha on Jan 22, 2010 5:08 PM CST reply actions

"This is something I learned a long time ago and I think it still applies today - the head coach might not always be right but he's still the head coach."

…“That is until I take his job and Charlie works for me…”

by Stone Throwers on Jan 22, 2010 5:28 PM CST reply actions

Thanks for posting this Joel

It is going to be hard enough to make a football team out of what we have in KC, without having the press create more trouble by already predicting that there will be fireworks with the coaches. The way that the press is reacting to these new hires is as if we had won the SB last year. If we start out and lose three in a row next year, the media will blow up this story and start insinuating that the coaches can’t get along and that is the reason for the losses. I just hope we can field a decent team that shows progress. If we don’t do that, there is alot more wrong than the coaches not getting along.

by Aiken_Drum on Jan 22, 2010 5:40 PM CST reply actions

Your probably right

Even with a good draft I think this team will start off slow, but buy the end of the year nobody is going to want to play us. That’s the I see it shaping up anyway.

"Leave the gun. Take the cannoli."

"Mr. Pioli is a man who insists on hearing bad news immediately."

by Don Piolie's Consigliere on Jan 23, 2010 2:24 AM CST up reply actions

Chan Gailey should think about what Crennel said

“This is something I learned a long time ago and I think it still applies today – the head coach might not always be right but he’s still the head coach.”

by ChiefConcern on Jan 23, 2010 7:42 AM CST reply actions

He really didn't have that much time to think about it...

There is one thing to have disagreements, because this is encouraging and honest discussion. At least I hope so. If everybody is just nodding their heads and saying yes, then that means that no one is thinking.

Bottom line is though, as Weis has already alluded to.. He and Todd will be on the same page… at least to start.

If you are not on the same page as was obvious with Gailey and Todd, then its going to blow up. Chan should have been let go at the very first of the season last year. That wasn’t really fair to him and was to me, a huge disappointment in how the whole affair was handled. Even with Herm, right after Pioli was hired, he should have immediately fired Herm. Not dangle him in the wind.

Now that is all water under the bridge and hopefully BOTH Scott and Todd grew up this past season and will this off season, this franchise and team can move forward.

IMHO we are off to a good start with Weis and Cremel. Hopefully we will have a really good draft along with maybe a couple of FA pickups and build this thing.

Rowdy

by KCRowdy on Jan 23, 2010 9:18 AM CST up reply actions