Arrowheadlines: Chiefs News 2/25

Good morning Chiefs fans! We have a full plate of Kansas City Chiefs news lined up this morning. Enjoy, and have a great weekend!

As the Chiefs continue preparations for the draft at the annual scouting combine, general manager Scott Pioli would happily accept another rookie class like last year’s.

The Chiefs found a Pro Bowler, two other starters and two contributors among their seven draft picks. That’s a good haul for the long term, much less a group of rookies.

But Pioli isn’t quite ready to call last year’s draft a success.

Pioli Says Jury Still Out on Last Year's Draft from KC Star

Talking publicly for the first time about the hiring of Jim Zorn as the Chiefs quarterback coach, Haley left little doubt that his ability to fill the shoes of departed offensive coordinator Charlie Weis worked out in the best possible manner for the 2011 Chiefs. Muir picked up the offensive coordinator's title and "has been rejuvenated" according to Haley. Zorn was added to work on the passing game, but to really concentrate his efforts on the continued development of starting quarterback Matt Cassel. "First and foremost, he is one of the top quarterback coaches in the league in my opinion," Haley said. "Through research and interviews, I really feel like he's one of the best teachers of the quarterback and not just the fundamentals.

Giddy Haley Talks Zorn... Friday Cup O'Combine from Bob Gretz

Laura Podolak says Thursday that her father, who's in a Scottsdale hospital, is aware that it's going to be a "challenging and lengthy rehabilitation." She says he's being medicated because of the number of surgeries he has undergone so far.

Former Chiefs RB Podolak Faces Long Recovery from The Chicago Tribune

The NFL draft season is around the corner, and teams will be looking at players' height, weight, speed, strength, and throwing ability. But the teams will also be testing players' brainpower.

That's where the Wonderlic Cognitive Abilty test comes in...

...According to the video, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Kevin Curtis is believed to hold the highest Wonderlic score of any current player. Will his 48 points on paper translate into points on the scoreboard this season?

Wonderlic Test On Tap for NFL Hopefuls from CBS News

The eyes of NFL franchises have turned towards downtown Indianapolis this week for the 2011 NFL Scouting Combine.

As is the case each year for the Chiefs, some 50-plus team members will scatter throughout Lucas Oil Stadium over the next five days to perform due diligence on the  NFL's 2011 Rookie Class. Kansas City is represented by coaches, scouts, executives, doctors and video personnel in Indianapolis this week, preparing for a common goal: defend the AFC West Championship.

Welcome to Indy: 2011 Scouting Combine from The Mothership

Knowing thy neighbor is an important aspect of the NFL Draft. When the Chiefs reach the on-deck circle, 10 minutes away from going "on the clock," recognizing the needs and wants of the selecting team can help make the draft process a little less unpredictable...

...Drafting ahead of the Chiefs this year is a young team not unlike Kansas City. Drafting in the 20^th position is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Know Thy Draft Day Neighbor: Tampa Bay from The Mothership

He broke into the NFL in 1998 as a personnel scout for the New York Jets, and while he rattled off the names of Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick, the first name Baalke mentioned was Dick Haley.

The father of Kansas City Chiefs coach Todd Haley, Dick Haley was instrumental in the construction of the Pittsburgh Steelers dynasty of the 1970's. Haley was a prominent member of personnel staffs that drafted 12 players who have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Trent Baalke Credits Dick Haley as a Major Influence from National Football Post

Yet most troubling of all, Duerson's ex-wife, Alicia, told the New York Times that Duerson was starting to suffer short-term memory loss. He complained of blurred vision and pain on the "left side of his brain." All of which raises the question, Did Duerson take that fatal step because he was despondent about his misfortune? Or did he end his life because he feared he would end up, like too many retired NFL players, depressed and confused, all because, medical evidence suggests, the game they loved cost them too many blows to the head?

Dave Duerson: Football's First Martyr Can't Die in Vain from Time

Kansas City Chiefs: When news broke that offensive coordinator Charlie Weis would depart for a similar gig at the University of Florida, it may have hampered the team's preparation for a playoff defeat to the Ravens. And Weis' absence may not hurt K.C. all that much in 2011, given coach Todd Haley's strong background as a play-caller and offensive strategist (and his apparent willingness to serve as his own coordinator). However, given K.C.'s youth and Matt Cassel's continued development following a huge jump from his '09 performance to a Pro Bowl 2010 season, a protracted lockout would be a bummer.

Who Faces Bad Field Position from a Lockout from Yahoo! Sports