When Todd Haley decided to hire friend and former colleague Charlie Weis to the position of offensive coordinator, I thought it was an excellent sign that the Kansas City Chiefs head coach was starting to "get it" when it comes to delegating power as the leader of a football team.
Haley previously wore three hats - head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach - but consistently said he'd like to keep the coach hat and ditch the other two focusing on the overall game management.
To me, this was a sign of maturity of Haley's part. A willingness to give up control of the offense. A willingness to admit he can't do it all himself. A willingness to go out there and get a bright football mind, even if that mind happens to specialize in the same area he does.
Jason Whitlock sees it a little differently. He makes a valid point in this morning's Kansas City Star that I think is worth bringing up here.
"If Haley decides to F-bomb and belittle Weis the way cameras caught Haley chewing out his "respected" friend Maurice Carthon," Whitlock writes, "I just don’t see Weis taking it without complaint. Notre Dame owed Weis $18 million when it fired him.
"Weis doesn’t need money. He doesn’t need Todd Haley. And that’s just how I expect Weis to treat Haley, like someone whose suggestions and interference are unnecessary and unwanted."
Whitlock points out that Weis' previous bosses were Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick, both defensive guys. Haley will be the first offensive minded head coach Weis has worked for.
Weis took the traditional rout to the NFL, coaching high school ball three decades ago and working as an assistant for many years.
Haley didn't take the traditional route.
Years ago, they were both with the Jets, where they developed their friendship. Weis was running the offense and Haley was a lower level assistant in the scouting department.
10 years later, Haley is now Weis' boss. Their friendship developed when Weis was the upper level guy, and Haley was just a scouting guy.
Now that the tables have turned, the biggest question becomes how will Haley handle Weis and how will Weis respond to Haley?