Chiefs-Packers Connections Start With Mike McCarthy

We're moving onto the Green Bay Packers this week. The KC Chiefs play them on Thursday night and as usual there are lots of connections between the two starting with Mike McCarthy, the Packers head coach who's first NFL job was with the Chiefs.

All your Chiefs-Packers connections are after the jump, courtesy of the Chiefs game release:

Former Chiefs

• Green Bay Head Coach Mike McCarthy held his first job in the NFL in Kansas City and spent six seasons (1993-98) in various roles with the Chiefs.

• Green Bay VP of Football Administration/Player Finance Russ Ball began his NFL career with the Chiefs and spent 10 seasons (1989-98) in Kansas City.

• Green Bay VP of Sales and Marketing Tim Connolly spent seven years (1989-95) in KC as an Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Offi cer.

• Packers Director of College Scouting Brian Gutekunst spent the 1998 season with the Chiefs as a scouting assistant.

• Packers Offensive Coordinator Tom Clements played quarterback for the Chiefs in 1980 and returned to KC to coach the quarterbacks during the 2000 season.

• Green Bay Assistant Director of Pro Personnel Tim Terry attended training camp with the Chiefs in 1999.

• Packers Director of Player Development Rob Davis spent the 1996 preseason with Chiefs as a long snapper.

• Green Bay TE Tom Crabtree signed with Kansas City in 2009 as an undrafted free agent.

• Green Bay LB Erik Walden played part of the 2008 season in Kansas City.

Former Packers

• Chiefs DBs Coach Emmitt Thomas was the Packers Defensive Coordinator (1999).

• Kansas City QBs Coach Jim Zorn played QB for Green Bay (1985).

• Chiefs LS Thomas Gafford spent training camp with the Packers (2006).

• Chiefs DT Anthony Toribio played in Green Bay for two seasons (2008-09).

• Kansas City Area Scout Jim Nagy interned in Green Bay’s personnel department (1996).

Professional

• Green Bay LB Clay Matthews’ father, Clay Matthews, Jr., played linebacker for the Cleveland Browns (1992-93) while Kansas City GM Scott Pioli worked in the Browns personnel department.

• Packers Head Athletic Trainer Pepper Burruss held a similar role with the New York Jets while Chiefs GM Scott Pioli served as the Director of Pro Personnel for the Jets (1997-99).

• Packers Defensive Coordinator Dom Capers spent the 2008 season in New England during Chiefs GM Scott Pioli’s fi nal season with the Patriots. Chiefs QB Matt Cassel, Director of Player Development Katie Douglass, National Scout Jim Nagy, Regional Scout Kyle O’Brien and Area Scout Jay Muraco were also with New England in 2008.

• Green Bay Defensive Coordinator Dom Capers spent two seasons (2006-07) in Miami with Chiefs DB Travis Daniels.

• Green Bay Secondary Coach Darren Perry led the DBs in Oakland when Chiefs CB Standford Routt was with the Raiders (2007-08).

• Green Bay D-line Coach Mike Trgovac spent time (1995-98) in Philadelphia with Kansas City DBs Coach Emmitt Thomas (1995-98), Head Athletic Trainer David Price (1995) and Director of Pro Personnel Ray Farmer (1996-98).

• Chiefs Special Teams Coach Tom McMahon and DBs Coach Emmitt Thomas spent the 2007 season in Atlanta with Packers Secondary Coach Joe Whitt, Jr. Green Bay G/T Reggie Wells played with the Falcons for seven seasons (2003-09) while Thomas, McMahon and Director of Pro Personnel Ray Farmer (2003-05) were all in Atlanta.

• Chiefs QB Brady Quinn’s sister, Laura, is married to Green Bay LB A.J. Hawk.

College

• Green Bay VP of Football Administration/Player Finance Russ Ball played center at Central Missouri when Chiefs DBs coach Emmitt Thomas was an assistant there.

• For four seasons (2005-08), Green Bay TE Tom Crabtree and Chiefs TE Jake O’Connell were teammates and roomates at Miami (Ohio).

• Chiefs Offensive Line Coach Jack Bicknell, Jr. was the head coach at Louisiana Tech when Green Bay CB Tramon Williams was on the Bulldogs’ roster (2002-05).

• Kansas City TE Tony Moeaki (2005-09), OL Rob Bruggeman (2004-08) and QB Ricky Stanzi (2006-10) were teammates of Green Bay T Bryan Bulaga (2007-09) and DT Mike Daniels (2008-11) at Iowa.

• Green Bay Special Teams Coordinator Shawn Slocum and Chiefs Strength and Conditioning Coach Mike Clark were at Texas A&M together for 10 seasons (1991-97, 2000-02).

• Chiefs Special Teams Coach Tom McMahon coached at Utah State with Packers Offensive Assistant/Special Teams Coach John Rushing (2003-05). Green Bay CB Jerrett Bush played at Utah State (2004-05).

• Chiefs Special Teams Coach Tom McMahon coached at Louisville with Packers Secondary Coach Joe Whitt, Jr. (2006).

• Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles and Packers TE Jermichael Finley spent two seasons (2006-07) together at Texas.

• Kansas City LB Derrick Johnson and Green Bay RB Cedric Benson spent four seasons (2001-04) together at Texas.

• Chiefs RB Peyton Hillis spent time at Arkansas with Packers G Ray Dominguez (2007-08), TE D.J. Williams (2007-08) and LS Brett Goode (2004-07).

Hometown

• Green Bay Head Coach Mike McCarthy attended Baker (Kan.) University and is a member of the school’s Hall of Fame. His fi rst coaching position was at Fort Hays State (Kan.), where he was a graduate assistant (1987-88).

• Green Bay WR Jordy Nelson is a native of Manhattan, Kan., and played collegiately at Kansas State.

• Green Bay VP of Football Administration/Player Finance Russ Ball is a native of Moberly, Mo.

• Chiefs Area Scout Ryan Kessenich is a native of Madison, Wis.

• Green Bay TE DeMarco Cosby attended Lincoln College Prepatory Academy in Kansas City, Mo., and played collegiately at Central Missouri.