Arrowheadlines: Kansas City Chiefs News 9/3

Red Friday 2014 from The Mothership

THERE ARE 4 WAYS TO CELEBRATE RED FRIDAY ON SEPTEMBER 5:

Chiefs Sign S Kurt Coleman; LB Joe Mays To IR from The Mothership

Coleman (5-11, 200) has played in 59 games (29 starts) in four NFL seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles (2010-13). He was released by the Vikings on Aug. 30 after spending the offseason and training camp with the club. Coleman owns 197 career tackles (150 solo), six tackles for loss, seven interceptions, 11 passes defensed and two forced fumbles.

KCChiefs.com Photo Gallery: Braden's Hope Calendar Shoot

KCChiefs.com Photo Gallery: Kurt Coleman

KCChiefs.com Video: Chiefs Practice Report: 9/2

KCChiefs.com Video: Chiefs Daily Update: Red Friday

KCChiefs.com Video: Cheerleader Chatter: Andrea

KCChiefs.com Video: Chiefs Kingdom: David Koechner Sneak Peek

Chiefs Sign S Kurt Coleman from Chiefs Spin

The Chiefs had four safeties on the 53-man roster prior to signing Coleman, and currently have zero defensive backs on the practice squad.

For a reference, the Chiefs' initial 2013 53-man roster had five safeties: Eric Berry, Kendrick Lewis, Quintin Demps, Husain Abdullah and Sanders Commings, who was eventually placed on the reserve/injured as designated to return before the start of the 2013 regular season. The Chiefs had free safety Malcolm Bronson on the practice squad.

Chiefs Add Needed Experience At Safety from ESPN

Eric Berry missed the whole preseason and a part of training camp with an injured heel. Berry has returned to practice and looked good on Monday. But the Chiefs needed better options if Berry has to leave their lineup again.

Chiefs Place LB Joe Mays On IR With Designation For Return from Chiefs Spin

According to NFL rules surrounding injured reserve with a designation for return, which went into effect during the 2012 season, a player must stay on the injured reserve list for eight weeks before being allowed to return. The player can start practicing after spending six weeks on injured reserve.

Kansas City used the injured reserve with designation for return on defensive back Sanders Commings in 2013.

Chiefs Give Santos Shot To Fulfill Father's Dreams from The Associated Press via FS Kansas City

On the recording, breaking with emotion, was the voice of Cairo Santos.

"He said he needed to talk to me," Burnett recalled, "and it was very unusual. Normally kids don't leave a message. They hang up and text. So I called him, and he said, 'I don't know how to tell you this,' and I'm thinking something bad has happened. And then he told me."

While flying a stunt plane back home in Brazil, Santos's father had been killed in a crash.

Now, nearly one year later, Santos is poised to fulfill a dream that he had shared with his father. The undrafted rookie out of Tulane will be the starting kicker for the Kansas City Chiefs when they open the season Sunday against Tennessee.

Sorensen's iPhone Fails On Cut Down-Day from ESPN

To take their minds off cut-down day, Kansas City Chiefs rookie safety Daniel Sorensen and his wife, Whitney, decided to go to temple on Saturday afternoon. They stowed their cellphones in the car and spent the next two hours worshiping at a service off Interstate 435. Whitney was more nervous and eager than her husband -- "She likes to know," Sorensen said -- and they planned it perfectly when the service ended around 3 p.m. CT, the deadline for cuts. By then, Sorensen, a rookie safety from BYU, would know.

What they didn't anticipate was what a hot summer day in Kansas City weather does to an iPhone in a car. Sorensen's phone overheated, so they spent the next 10 minutes holding it next to the air-conditioner vents while driving on the freeway.

Doug Robinson: Alex Smith, "The Game Manager," Earned His Big Contract from The Deseret News

Six offensive coordinators in Smith's first six years. Coaches questioning his manhood and the legitimacy of a shoulder injury (which required surgery to repair). Repeated benchings. A poor supporting cast. Public threats that the quarterback would be released. Worst of all: Mike Singletary.

Then, shortly after he hit his stride - after he had his team on the way to the Super Bowl until a teammate fumbled a pair of punt returns, and while in the process of completing 35 of 38 passes for 385 yards, five touchdowns and one interception and ranking fourth in the NFL in passing and getting the Niners off to a 6-2-1 start - he was concussed and benched and lost his starting job even when he was healthy. And then he was traded to Kansas City.

Patrick Peterson, Luke Kuechly, Vontaze Burfict Are Among The Best Young Players In The NFL from The Washington Post

12. Dontari Poe, NT, Kansas City Chiefs

A proven run stopper, Poe was only one of three interior defensive linemen with at least 40 tackles and four sacks last season.

Travis Kelce Could Be The Next Big Thing In The NFL from Stack.com

A mere week after the draft, he was flown from his hometown of Cleveland to Kansas City, and immediately got to work participating in rookie mini-camp and OTAs. There, he generated buzz with his speed and athleticism. When OTAs ended, Kelce used the remaining month before training camp to find an apartment, settling on a place downtown...

...He didn't know anyone in a state almost 12 hours from home. Learning the Chiefs intricate playbook occupied most of his time, but Kelce admits things were more solitary than he expected. But now he's settled in his new home. A childhood friend moved into his apartment after moving to Kansas City to take a job. He began hitting Bristol, a seafood joint, and Maker's Mark on a consistent basis.

Then, just as training camp began and Kelce shone, his knee started to bother him.

Kelce, Pryor Rising After Preseason from ESPN [an Insider article]

Kelce was supposed to be an impact rookie for the Chiefs a year ago, but microfracture knee surgery stole his entire rookie season and essentially caused the Chiefs to redshirt him for a year on injured reserve. Now we're starting to see the potential impact Kelce can have on their offense. He was the top-graded tight end at Pro Football Focus this preseason and had more receiving yards than any other player at his position, 111 of them coming after the catch.

Chiefs Mailbag: Putting The Offensive Line In The Spotlight from Chiefs Spin

Allen's presence on the right side should help rookie right guard Zach Fulton, who is sandwiched between Allen and veteran center Rodney Hudson.

A bigger concern is on the left side of the offensive line.

Left tackle Eric Fisher struggled during the preseason as he apparently still recovers from an offseason shoulder injury. He'll draw the highest scrutiny given his status as the No. 1 pick overall of the 2013 NFL Draft.

9-0 Not In The Cards For Chiefs This Time Around from The Wichita Eagle

Who will ever forget the fun of last season's 9-0 start for the Kansas City Chiefs?

Anything was possible. Reaching the Super Bowl didn't seem far-fetched. OK, that record was tainted by a relatively easy schedule, but you don't get to 9-0 with smoke and mirrors.

The Chiefs were a good team.

And they should be a good team in 2014. Just don't bank on 9-0.

Kansas City Chiefs Game Predictions from ESPN

Week 1: Tennessee Titans

Although it's ridiculous to label any season opener a must win, this is probably as close as it gets. The Chiefs face a minefield over the next five games, so they need to take care of business in this one. Prediction: Win

Week 2: at Denver Broncos

The Chiefs haven't beaten the Broncos since Denver was quarterbacked by Tim Tebow. They are 0-4 against Peyton Manning's Broncos, and this doesn't look like the game in which they will bust through. Prediction: Loss

Power Rankings: No. 16 Kansas City Chiefs from ESPN

Since I have the Chiefs finishing 8-8 this season, 16 sounds about right and in the middle of the pack. The Chiefs, for what its worth, are ranked the lowest of last year's 12 playoff teams.

Brian Waters Retires After 13 Seasons In NFL from NFL.com

Waters began his career with the Chiefs and remained there for 11 seasons, where he earned five of his six Pro Bowl selections. Waters moved on to the Patriots in 2011, earning another Pro Bowl nod and making his sole Super Bowl appearance. After sitting out the 2012 season, he signed with the Cowboys in September 2013, bringing some stability to Dallas' interior line before suffering a season-ending triceps injury in October.

NFL Power Rankings: Champs Start On Top, But Will Seahawks Finish There? from CBS Sports

15. Kansas City Chiefs: The Chiefs found out late last year what happens when your top pass rushers can't go and added to that department in the draft. Alex Smith is the perfect QB for Andy Reid's offense and if someone will emerge as another receiving threat, watch out! There is too heavy a load on Jamal Charles and he better stay healthy.

NFL Football Is Coming Back: The Good, The Bad And The Comedy from Mashable

In Kansas City, Alex Smith is back to lead the Chiefs' for a second year after being consciously uncoupled from by the 49ers. A return to the playoffs isn't out of the question, but doesn't seem all that likely either.

Titans Brace For Arrowhead Stadium Noise Level from The Tennessean

"It's a pretty tough place - it's up there," Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "The noise will be tough."

The Chiefs won their first five home games in 2013, but lost their last three. As for home openers, Kansas City is just 2-4 over the last six seasons.

Adam Schefter Is NFL Reporting Machine from The Washington Post

But the truth is, sources seem to call him as much as he calls them, and information flows both ways. Midway through his drive to Bristol, a front-office executive from the Kansas City Chiefs rang.

"I think you maybe have another suspension coming down the pike," Schefter told him. "I don't think it's today, but I think it's coming here before the preseason's over. . . . Oh, you weren't aware of that? . . . I think Donald Stephenson. Does that surprise you? I don't know that for a fact, but I had somebody text me and say, ‘Hey, be on the lookout for Donald Stephenson.' So, I'm giving you a heads-up in advance. If it starts percolating and you give me a heads-up back, that'd be great."

Four days later when the info was more solid, Schefter reported to the rest of the world that the Chiefs offensive lineman had been suspended for the first four games of the season.

Wes Welker Officially Suspended First Four Games Of Season from ProFootballTalk

The four game suspension will actually be a five-week ban in total as the Broncos bye week falls in Week 4. Welker is eligible to return to the team's active roster on Monday, August 6. He will miss games against the Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals. All four teams won at least 10 games last season.