You remember that guy in high school or college? The really cocky and arrogant one. Everyone liked him at first. He made everyone feel like they were someone special for a while. Then something went wrong. Everyone started to see what he was really all about. It became easy to get mad at him. Sure, every now and then he would do something good. Something that would remind you of the way things used to be. However, in the end, everyone realized nobody really liked him. And surprisingly, he was still part of the group. But, in the end, everyone was ready for him to just go away, and he had worn out his welcome. Big time.
That’s what happened with Carl Peterson, the soon-to-be ex-General Manager of the Kansas City Chiefs. He came roaring into Kansas City 20 years ago with his sidekick, Marty Schottenheimer. They did some great things for Chiefs football. They brought the excitement, passion, and fun that had been lacking. They came within a game of the Super Bowl. Heck, Carl even had an infamous “Five-Year Super Bowl Plan.” (And if you’re keeping score, Kansas City is in year 20 of that five-year plan.) But halfway through this marriage, things got sour.
Marty left. We saw several losing seasons for the Chiefs. They’ve been through three different head coaches and countless numbers of coordinators in less than 10 years. In essence, the team lost its identity. They still haven’t won a playoff game since the 1993 season (Joe Montana was the QB at the time – to give you some perspective.) They miraculously squeaked into the playoffs two years ago (and lost to eventual champion Indianapolis), but the past decade hasn’t been pretty. And most of that can be attributed to the decisions of Peterson. Less than stellar draft choices, poor negotiating with rookies and other free agents, and an unlikable, smug attitude have all been part of his downfall. Fans put up with him for much of his tenure, but the past two extremely unsuccessful seasons have opened many people’s eyes.
The result is that he has worn out his welcome and Chiefs’ Chairman Clark Hunt made the right decision recently in letting him go. It probably should have happened several years ago. How can you be with one NFL organization for so long and not have any post season success for so long? Regardless, King Carl Peterson had worn out his welcome. And now Kansas City Chiefs fans are celebrating his departure. Big time.
Keywords: Kansas City ChiefsCarl PetersonClark HuntNFL FootballMarty SchottenheimerJoe Montana
