Romeo Crennel, Brady Quinn lead Chiefs-Browns connections

In January 2009, the Kansas City Chiefs were one of at least two teams in on GM Scott Pioli, who was with the New England Patriots at the time. The other team was the Cleveland Browns. The Chiefs hired Pioli while the Browns went with George Kokinis.

Four years later and each team is in pretty much the same spot. Front offices could be cleared, coaches could be fired and the rebuilding could start again after this year.

The Chiefs and Browns have a lot of connections (courtesy of the Chiefs), starting with Romeo Crennel and Brady Quinn.

Professional

• Coach Kent Johnston (1999-2003), Senior Offensive Assistant Nolan Cromwell (1999-2007) and Senior Defensive Assistant Ray Rhodes (2003-07) spent time in Seattle with Chiefs Strength and Conditioning Coach Mike Clark (2004-09) and Quarterbacks Coach Jim Zorn (2001-07).
• Browns General Manager Tom Heckert (2001-09), Head Coach Pat Shurmur (1999-2008), Senior Defensive Assistant Coach Ray Rhodes(1995-98), DE Juqua Parker (2005-11) and DB Sheldon Brown (2002-10) spent time in Philadelphia with Chiefs Defensive Quality Control Coach Otis Smith (2008).
• Browns General Manager Tom Heckert (1991-2000) and Executive Vice President of Business Operations Bryan Wiedmeier (1981-2009) spent time in Miami with Chiefs Assistant General Manager Joel Collier (1994-2004) and Tight Ends Coach Bernie Parmalee (1992-98).
• Chiefs Special Teams Coach Tom McMahon (2009-11) and Special Teams Quality Control Coach Derius Swinton (2009-11) spent time in St.Louis with Browns Head Coach Pat Shurmur (2009-10), Senior Offensive Assistant Nolan Cromwell (2010-11) and OL John Greco (2008-10).
• Browns Offensive Assistant Coach Chris Beake (1999-2003) and Defensive Line Coach Dwaine Board (1990-2002) spent time in San Francisco with Chiefs Defensive Line Coach Anthony Pleasant (2000).
• Browns Offensive Assistant Coach Chris Beake (2004-06) spent time in Atlanta with Chiefs Defensive Backs Coach Emmitt Thomas (2002-09) and Director of Pro Personnel Ray Farmer (2002-05).
• Browns Offensive Assistant Coach Chris Beake (2008-09) and Defensive Line Coach Dwaine Board (2003-08) spent time in Seattle with Chiefs Strength and Conditioning Coach Mike Clark (2004-09).
• Cleveland Linebackers Coach Bill Davis (2007-10) spent time in Arizona with Kansas City Assistant Head Coach Maurice Carthon (2007-08) and WR Steve Breaston (2007-10).
• Cleveland Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach Rick Lyle (2006-8) and P Reggie Hodges (2008) spent time with the New York Jets with Kansas City Offensive Coordinator Brian Daboll (2007-08) and S Abram Elam (2007-08).
• Chiefs T Eric Winston (2006-11) spent time with Senior Defensive Assistant Ray Rhodes (2008-10).
• Cleveland Offensive Line Coach George Warhop (2003-04) spent time with Kansas City Linebackers Coach Gary Gibbs (2002-05) and WR Terrance Copper (2004-05).
• Browns OL Oniel Cousins (2008-10) spent time in Baltimore with Chiefs Quarterbacks Coach Jim Zorn (2010), WR Terrance Copper (2008 -partial), LB Edgar Jones (2007-11) and C Bryan Mattison (2010).
• Chiefs DL Anthony Toribio (2008-09) spent time in Green Bay with RB Brandon Jackson (2007-10).
• Chiefs DE Shaun Smith (2004-06, 2009) spent time in Cincinnati with Browns DE Frostee Rucker (2006-11).
• Chiefs Head Coach Romeo Crennel (2004-09), General Manager Scott Pioli (2000-08), Assistant General Manager Joel Collier (2005-07), National Scout Jim Nagy (2002-08), Director of Player Development Katie Douglass (2003-08), Regional Scout Kyle O'Brien (2002-11), Area Scout Jay Muraco (2000-08), Offensive Coordinator Brian Daboll (2000-06), QB Matt Cassel (2005-09) and G Russ Hochstein (2002-08) spent time in New England with Browns DB Ray Ventrone (2006-08) and TE Benjamin Watson (2004-08).

Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports

Former Chiefs

• Browns Offensive Assistant Coach Chris Beake's dad, John Beake, coached in Kansas City (1968-74).
• Browns DB Dimitri Patterson spent time in Kansas City (2007-08).

Former Browns

• Chiefs Head Coach Romeo Crennel spent the 2000 season in Cleveland as the Browns defensive coordinator/defensive line coach. He returned to Cleveland in 2005 and spent four seasons as the Browns head coach (2005-08).
• Chiefs General Manager Scott Pioli spent time in Cleveland as a scouting assistant (1992) and pro personnel assistant (1993-95).
• Chiefs Assistant Head Coach Maurice Carthon was the Browns offensive coordinator for two years (2005-06).
• Chiefs DT Shaun Smith played in Cleveland for two seasons (2007-08).
• Chiefs QB Brady Quinn originally entered the NFL as a first-round selection (22nd overall) of the Browns in the 2007 NFL Draft.
• Kansas City RB Peyton Hillis played the last two seasons in Denver (2010-11).
• Chiefs S Abram Elam spent two seasons with the Browns (2009-10).
• Chiefs DB Travis Daniels spent the 2008 season in Cleveland.
• Chiefs Defensive Line Coach Anthony Pleasant played defensive end for the Browns for six seasons (1990-95).
• Chiefs Offensive Coordinator Brian Daboll served in the same role in Cleveland for two seasons (2009-10).
• Kansas City Director of Football Administration Trip MacCracken spent 11 years in the Browns front office (1999-2009).

College

• Chiefs Offensive Coordinator Brian Daboll (1998-99) spent time at Michigan State with Browns Defensive Assistant Coach Chuck Bullough (1997-98).
• Chiefs DB Usama Young (2003-06) spent time at Kent State with Chiefs S Abram Elam (2004-05).
• Chiefs CB Javier Arenas (2006-09) spent time at Alabama with Browns RB Trent Richardson (2009-11).
• Browns Senior Offensive Assistant Nolan Cromwell (2008-09) spent time at Texas A&M with Chiefs RB Cyrus Gray (2008-11).
• Chiefs RB Shaun Draughn (2007-10) spent time at North Carolina with Browns Tight Ends Coach Steve Hagen (2007-08).
• Chiefs DE Shaun Smith (2000-03) spent time at South Carolina with Browns CB Sheldon Brown (1998-2001).
• Chiefs QB Matt Cassel (2000-04) spent time at USC with Browns DE Frostee Rucker (2003-05).
• Browns Quarterbacks Coach Mark Whipple (2009-10) and WR Travis Benjamin (2008-11) spent time at Miami with Chiefs DL Allen Bailey (2007-10).
• Browns WR Joshua Cribbs (2001-04) spent time at Kent State with Chiefs S Abram Elam (2004-05).
• Chiefs WR Jon Baldwin (2008-10) spent time at Pittsburgh with Browns DL Jabaal Sheard (2007-10).
• Browns RB Montario Hardesty (2005-09) spent time at Tennessee with Chiefs Offensive Quality Control Coach Jim Bob Cooter (2002-08), Special Teams Quality Control Coach Derius Swinton (2007-08) and S Eric Berry (2007-09).
• Chiefs RB Shaun Draughn (2007-10) spent time at North Carolina with Browns WR Greg Little (2007-09).
• Chiefs LB Justin Houston (2007-10) spent time at Georgia with Browns WR Mohamed Massaquoi (2005-08).
• Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles (2005-07) spent time with Browns QB Colt McCoy (2006-09) and RB Chris Ogbonnaya (2005-08).

Hometown

• Chiefs QB Brady Quinn is from Dublin, Ohio, and QB Ricky Stanzi grew up in Mentor, Ohio.
• Browns Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach Rick Lyle grew up in Kansas City and attended Hickman Mills (Mo.) High School.
• Browns Special Teams Coordiantor Chris Tabor coached at Missouri from 1997-2000.
• Cleveland Tight Ends Coach Steve Hagen was a graduate assistant at KU in 1985-86.
• Cleveland Special Teams Assistant Coach Shawn Mennenga was thed efensive coordinator at Fort Hays State University in 2005-08.
• Cleveland Offensive Line Coach George Warhop spent three seasons at the University of Kansas as an offensive coach (1984-86).