'11 Chiefs backfield, the great tackle hope and other Chargers-Chiefs connections

Looking at the link-ups between the KC Chiefs and the San Diego Chargers this week, there are a ton of connections. The 2012 Chargers cannibalized the 2011 Chiefs free agent backfield, now employing both Jackie Battle and Le'Ron McClain. Also lining up for San Diego is last year's great offensive line hope: Jared Gaither, whom the Chiefs signed, rarely played, and cut to be picked up by the Chargers.

Regionally, Chargers safety Darrell Stuckey grew up in Kansas City, Kansas, attending Washington High School. Linebacker Andrew Gachkar is from Overland Park, Kansas, attending Blue Valley West High School.

Lots of connections from Miami, Tennessee, Cleveland and Oakland below:

Photo Credit: Jake Roth-US PRESSWIRE

Former Chiefs

• Chargers RB Jackie Battle originally entered the NFL with Kansas City as an undrafted rookie in 2007 and went on to play five seasons with the Chiefs. He was Kansas City’s leading rusher in 2011 with 597 yards on 149 carries (4.0 avg.).

• Chargers Assistant Secondary Coach Cris Dishman played cornerback for the Chiefs in 1999.

• San Diego Wide Receivers Coach Charlie Joiner held the same role in Kansas City for seven seasons (2001-07).

• Chargers Strength and Conditioning Coach Jeff Hurd was an intern for the Chiefs in 1992. He was later hired full-time and went on to spend nine seasons in Kansas City (1998-2006).

• San Diego Director of Player Personnel Jimmy Raye spent the 1995 season with the Chiefs as an offensive assistant/quality control coach.

• Chargers T Jared Gaither spent part of last season in Kansas City (2011).

• Chargers FB Le’Ron McClain spent the 2011 season with the Chiefs.

• Chargers LB Demorrio Williams played the previous four seasons in Kansas City (2008-11).

• Chargers DT Garrett Brown was in Kansas City during 2010 offseason training and through the preseason.

Former Chargers

• Chiefs LB Brandon Siler played the 2007-10 seasons in San Diego.

• Chiefs Area Scout Jay Muraco interned with San Diego in 1992.

Professional

• Chargers Head Coach Norv Turner spent the 2002-03 seasons in Miami with Chiefs Tight Ends Coach Bernie Parmalee and Assistant General Manager Joel Collier. Collier and Parmalee spent their final season in Miami (2004) with Chargers C/G Rex Hadnot, and Chargers TE Randy McMichael was there in 2003-04.

• Chargers Senior Executive Randy Mueller, C/G Rex Hadnot and RB Ronnie Brown spent the 2005-07 seasons in Miami with Chiefs DB Travis Daniels. Chargers TE Randy McMichael was with Daniels in 2005-06.

• Chargers TE Dante Rosario was in Miami with Chiefs Offensive Coordinator Brian Daboll for the beginning of the 2011 season.

• Chiefs CB Stanford Routt played for Chargers Head Coach Norv Turner when Turner was the head coach in Oakland (2005). Routt also was in Oakland with Chargers Tight Ends Coach Jason Michael (2005) and Defensive Line Coach Don Johnson (2007-08).

• Chiefs Defensive Line Coach Anthony Pleasant coached in San Francisco in 2000 with Chargers Linebackers Coach Joe Barry.

• Chiefs Regional Scout Dom Green spent the 2006 season in Tampa Bay with Chargers Linebackers Coach Joe Barry and the 2008 season in Tampa Bay with Chargers Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coach Rich Bisacca.

• Chiefs Defensive Line Coach Anthony Pleasant spent the 1997 season in Atlanta with Chargers Secondary Coach Ron Meeks.

• Chargers Linebackers Coach Ollie Wilson (2002-07) and LB Demorrio Williams (2004-07) spent time in Atlanta with Chiefs Defensive Backs Coach Emmitt Thomas (2002-07), Special Teams Coach Tom McMahon (2007) and Director of Pro Personnel Ray Farmer (2002-05).

• Chiefs G Ryan Lilja spent five seasons (2004-08) seasons in Indianapolis with Chargers Secondary Coach Ron Meeks.

• Chargers Tight Ends Coach Jason Michael spent time with the New York Jets with Chiefs Offensive Coordinator Brian Daboll and S Abram Elam (2007).

• Chiefs WR Steve Breaston played the 2010 season in Arizona with Chargers C/G Rex Hadnot.

• Chiefs QB Brady Quinn spent the 2011 season in Denver with Chargers WR Eddie Royal and TE Dante Rosario.

• San Diego Offensive Line Coach Mike Sullivan (2001-04, 2007-08) and C/G Rex Hadnot (2008-09) spent time in Cleveland with Chiefs Head Coach Romeo Crennel (2007-08), Offensive Coordinator Brian Daboll (2009), Director of Football Administration Trip MacCracken (2001-09), QB Brady Quinn (2007-09), S Abram Elam (2009) and DB Travis Daniels (2008).

• Chargers DT Antonio Garay spent the 2003 season in Cleveland while Chiefs Director of Football Administration Trip MacCracken was with the Browns.

• Chiefs Special Teams Coach Tom McMahon and Special Teams Quality Control Coach Derius Swinton spent the 2009 season in St. Louis with Chargers TE Randy McMichael.

• Chiefs Linebackers Coach Gary Gibbs (2008), Defensive Assistant/Assistant Linebackers Coach Adam Zimmer (2008-09) and WR Terrance Copper (2008) spent time in New Orleans with Chargers WR Robert Meachem.

• Chargers LB Antwan Barnes (2007-09), LB Jarret Johnson, FB Le’Ron McClain (2007-10) and T Jared Gaither (2007-10) spent time in Baltimore with Chiefs Quarterbacks Coach Jim Zorn (2010), LB Edgar Jones (2007-10) and WR Terrance Copper (2008-partial).

• Chiefs LS Thomas Gafford (2008 Training Camp) and DT Anthony Toribio (2008-09) spent time in Green Bay with Chargers SS Atari Bigby.

Photo Credit: Jake Roth-US PRESSWIRE

College

• San Diego Tight Ends Coach Jason Michael (2003-04, 2008), DT Aubrayo Franklin (2000-02) and WR Robert Meachem (2004-06) spent time at Tennessee with Chiefs P Dustin Colquitt (2000-04), S Eric Berry (2007-09), Offensive Quality Control Coach Jim Bob Cooter (2002-08) and Special Teams Quality Control Coach Derius Swinton (2007-08).

• Chargers Assistant Linebackers Coach Greg Williams coached at Pittsburgh when Chiefs WR Jon Baldwin was there (2008).

• San Diego WR Richard Goodman spent three years at Florida State with Kansas City C Rodney Hudson (2007-09).

• San Diego C/G Rex Hadnot (2000-03) and RB Jackie Battle (2003-06) spent time at Houston with Kansas City LS Thomas Gafford (2001-04)and CB Stanford Routt (2001-05).

• Chiefs DB Jacques Reeves spent time at Purdue with Chargers C Nick Hardwick (2001-03) and LB Shaun Phillips (2000-03).

• Kansas City LB Derrick Johnson played at Texas with San Diego CB Quentin Jammer (2001).

• Chargers WR Eddie Royal spent his entire collegiate career at Virginia Tech with Chiefs CB Brandon Flowers (2004-07).

• Chiefs G Jon Asamoah (2008-09) and OL Jeff Allen (2008-10) spent time at Illinois with Chargers DE Corey Liuget.

• Kansas City WR Devon Wylie played at Fresno State with San Diego RB Ryan Mathews (2007-09).

• Chiefs CB Javier Arenas spent his first season at Alabama with Chargers FB Le’Ron McClain (2006).

• Chiefs Linebackers Coach Gary Gibbs spent the 2000 season at Georgia with Chargers TE Randy McMichael.

• Chiefs RB Shaun Draughn played at North Carolina with Chargers DT Cam Thomas (2007-09).

• Chargers LB Melvin Ingram played the 2007 season at South Carolina with Chiefs K Ryan Succop.

• Chiefs DE Tyson Jackson spent the 2008 season at LSU with Chargers SS Brandon Taylor.

• Chiefs RB Peyton Hillis spent the 2007 season at Arkansas with Chargers CB Greg Gatson.

Hometown

• Chargers S Darrell Stuckey was born in Kansas City, Kan. He was a two-time Metro Offensive Player of Year and Team MVP at Washington High School in Kansas City, Kan., where he led his team to three-straight league titles and earned an invitation to the Kansas Shrine Bowl (2005). Stuckey played four years at Kansas (2006-09).

• Chargers Strength and Conditioning Coach Jeff Hurd played baseball at Fort Hays State in Hays, Kan. Upon graduation, Hurd was hired as a graduate assistant.

• Chiefs WR Dwayne Bowe and Chargers LB Antwan Barnes played football together at Norland High School in Miami, Fla.

• Chargers T Jeromey Clary spent the 2002-05 seasons at Kansas State.

• San Diego LB Andrew Gachkar is from Overland Park, Kan., where he attended Blue Valley West High School before playing the 2007-10 seasons at Missouri. He was named Special Teams Player of the Year as a freshman.

• Chargers Offensive Assistant Steve Gera was born in Kansas City, Mo.