Chiefs Had Viable Candidates For Every NFL Post-Season Award

by Matt Conner on Feb 6, 2011 9:16 AM CST in 2010 Kansas City Chiefs Season

With the hardware handed out, a meaningless Hawaiian game played out and the attention centered on a pair of celebrated old-school franchises, it's the perfect time to look back at a most unexpected season from the Kansas City Chiefs. From a 4-win season to a division winner, Scott Pioli executed another masterful job of roster creation, and you can't say enough about the coaching jobs done by Todd Haley, Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel overall.

Yet perhaps the most surprising thing to me above any record turnaround, divisional placement or coaching performance was the fact that the Chiefs had a very viable candidate for every single award the NFL handed out this week. From rookies to veterans, players to coaches, offense to defense, the Chiefs performance in every aspect revealed that this season's success stood on the shoulders of many.

Think about how incredible it is that the Chiefs could have plausibly been represented by every NFL trophy:

Most Valuable Player: Jamaal Charles
Offensive Player of the Year: Jamaal Charles, Dwayne Bowe
Defensive Player of the Year: Tamba Hali
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Tony Moeaki
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Eric Berry
Coach of the Year: Todd Haley
Comeback Player of the Year: Matt Cassel, Dwayne Bowe

Sure, the Chiefs didn't walk away with wins here, but it's amazing to think that there were even viable candidates all around. Certainly this season featured some of the most impressive rookies the NFL has seen in some time, but in years past, Moeaki and Berry would have garnered a lot more attention. It's ridiculous that Bowe led the NFL in receiving touchdowns (15) by three over the next competitor (Greg Jennings and Calvin Johnson with 12), yet has anyone even noticed it wasn't close? Say what you want about the Jones/Charles rotation, but the Chiefs had two of the top 20 rushers in the NFL.

That doesn't even touch the defense, anchored by a revitalized Tamba Hali. The former Penn State star was much admired for his work ethic coming into the league, and it's been that leadership and determination that finally allowed him to break through with 14.5 sacks, good for second in the NFL (DeMarcus Ware had 15). Brandon Carr led the NFL in passes defended (25), while Derrick Johnson had the most (15) among linebackers, showing the Chiefs range of coverage behind the defensive line.

Several other players enjoyed tremendous years, whether along the lines or a bit lower in statistical rankings. Brandon Flowers, Wallace Gilberry, Jovan Belcher and Glenn Dorsey all became important players, while names like Berry, Lewis, Moeaki and McCluster still have bigger and brighter futures ahead of them. Kansas City is more loaded across the board than anyone could have hoped for just one year ago, and the season-ending loss to the Ravens shouldn't cloud that.

Tweet Comment 13 comments | 1 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

I've never been a nostalgic person, but stepping back and looking at what this team did

and the people responsible for it is impressive as hell. This team is loaded with young, talented, hungry players that are only going to get better. 2009 seems like such a distant memory. Hard to believe a good chunk of that roster was a huge contributor to this years success. I’m excited for these guys and can’t wait to see what Pioli does in the drafts giong forward. This guy seems like he’s able to reload and not rebuild, and if that’s the case then look for this to be the first decade of the Chiefs!!!!

by Lokrath on Feb 6, 2011 9:15 AM CST reply actions

the Chiefs showed fantastic improvement and had some GREAT players, regardless of awards

and yes, Haley did a GREAT job with the team (and a ton of new talent from Draft and FA) … he did a great jjob, yes he did

kabrink, are you paying attention?!?

he did a great job while he concentrated on being the HC and didn’t call the plays in 2010 … amazing turnaround, Haley should do the SAME THING in 2011 for continued success with the team

kabrink, are you paying attention?!?

Winner: 2009 Nostradamus of Arrowhead Pride Award (I'd like to thank my producer, my director, all of my wonderful fans ... )
"I shall conquer untruth by truth" - Mahatma Gandhi
"It's always easier to sell 'em some shit than it is to give 'em the truth" - Shel Silverstein, The Perfect High
Come back, Jason!
hi, Mo! 5 minutes!!!

by upamtn on Feb 6, 2011 9:40 AM CST reply actions

to late,,,

haily willbe calling the plays in 2011. No wait,Murr is, yea right

by wolfpack0735 on Feb 6, 2011 11:09 AM CST up reply actions

seriously, I hope it's Muir

by upamtn on Feb 6, 2011 11:28 AM CST up reply actions

What about Executive of the Year...

I’d say that Pioli should be up for that award shouldn’t he?

Go Chiefs!!!!

by ravenhawk on Feb 6, 2011 11:21 AM CST reply actions

He actually did win that one

by Connor Mangels on Feb 7, 2011 11:44 PM CST up reply actions

the way they give the trophy away is such bull shit, i still want to know where they get there votes. It always sounds like a load of shit on how they come up with winners

I mean come on you got a peice of shit like vicck winning awards and this peice of crap was in prison one year ago, i dont care wat anyone says this thug should of never been aloud to play football again let alone get a second chance to m ake millions.. but oh wait lets give the award to the dog killing thug…yeah? wat a bunch of shit.

by woody555 on Feb 6, 2011 12:23 PM CST reply actions

yanno what, woody? I wish he'd spent more time in Leavenworth, too

I wish society had made him do more, pay more, something more than what he was given … I agree with you 100% on that, and I’m of the opinion that he has NOT (yet) paid his debt for what he did (it was so huge, so widespread, etc … not even close, in my mind)

but

he got the award for what he did on the football field in 2010, and for that he has earned it

I detest what he did, I think he’s not as sorry for what he did as much as sorry he got caught … but so it goes

by upamtn on Feb 6, 2011 4:14 PM CST up reply actions

agree

Real Men Wear Red!
A Girl's Gotta Do.....What A Girl's Gotta Do!

by LadyChief on Feb 6, 2011 4:16 PM CST up reply actions

and sheffield will finally get to show hes better than people think

the bates, langford types are ready

a full draft that could have 3 plus players if drafted well play 16 games and be major contribs

then there is free agency….I made the mistake to listen to a podcast about the chiefs, and haley, and how bad things are about to get…..I understand that schedule is a big part of success in the nfl, but the chiefs can be a cinderella team by just overcoming that schedule…there is parity there, and quite frankly I dont care if there is any.

This ENTIRE team is young…sure a couple guys are older, but they arent a big loss, and in the case of waters, vrabel..we may have replacements in house…

the holes are there….but they should be plugged to the point where Id have a hard time finding any real issues outside of depth at certain positions…we have returners, we have a top notch kicker and punter…the team has a QB/WR/HB trio that is listed above as award candidates…a young TE that is a mix of heath miller and some super hybrid blocking TE…a secondary that could be the best in the NFL very soon…and two top 5 picks at the end positions….

really excited for the future of this team

Muir, all of that stuff…will play itself out. Mike White had a HUGE role at around the same age when he was on the Rams Staff in 99/00…he didnt call the plays, martz did, but he played the role that muir will play, and that was to be the guy who sort of “coordinates” everything…We will just see a brain trust of 3 or 4 calling the plays with heavy influence from haley, a guy who helped the cards reach a super bowl through their offense.

future is bright…I think as long as there is Pioli/Haley/Crennel this team can do great things. Also helps to have a HB that can average over 6 per carry. Find a Center, find a nose tackle, find a 2 WR…that right there could make this team great.

Team Pioli/Haley. Decade of the Chiefs.
Team Colquitt

by SDChief on Feb 6, 2011 12:57 PM CST reply actions

Derrick Johnson

I’m not sure how he wasn’t in contention for Comeback Player of the Year. He goes from being second string, and being extremely inconsistent in all of his time (minus the Denver game!) on the field last year, to starting this year and being one of the best ILB in the league. While I think Vick should of still gotten it, I think he deserved it more than Bowe or Cassel.

by cawksrawks on Feb 6, 2011 1:02 PM CST reply actions