Insider Forum with Josh Looney - Talk it up!

ZACH THOMAS LATEST TO MAKE HEADLINES
August 31st – 7:07 PM

The news is never ending involving the Chiefs today. Adam Schefter of ESPN reported this evening that Chiefs LB Zach Thomas plans to retire, accept an injury settlement or be cut from the Chiefs.

Shortly after Schefter’s report, agent Drew Rosenhaus’ agency wrote the following message on the agency’s Twitter account…“Zach Thomas is not retiring. He is progressing from his injury & he fully expects to have a great season with the Chiefs in 09.“

As of this moment the Chiefs have yet to share a comment via Thomas or about Thomas’ status for 2009.

The retirement reports were a bit surprising since Thomas was seen on the field rehabbing today at practice. Over the past week, Thomas had been held out of practice, but was not seen in the team “rehab zone.“

The first round of NFL cuts is tomorrow.

CASSEL SPECULATION WON’T STOP
August 31st – 6:11 PM

Add ESPN’s Adam Schefter to the growing list of national media making a prediction on the playing status of Chiefs QB Matt Cassel. Schefter said today that he expects Cassel to be the starting quarterback when the Chiefs take the field to battle the Ravens in Baltimore on September 13th.

Schefter joins SI’s Peter King, who reports Cassel will miss at least two weeks with a grade II MCL sprain, as the latest national name with a Cassel update. Yahoo Sports’ Jason Cole originally broke news of Cassel, saying the Chiefs QB would miss between two and four weeks of action.

The team has yet to make any comment on any lingering injury situation. Expect the speculation to continue in the coming days and up until the season opener at Baltimore.

HALEY DIDN’T RUSH TO JUDGEMENT ON DECISION
August 31st – 3:50 PM

Following Kansas City’s 14-10 loss to Seattle last weekend, Todd Haley was not a happy man. One of his comments following the game could have been taken as unhappiness with play calling.

“I thought if there was a positive early it felt like we were moving the ball on the ground a littlthe bit,” Haley said following the game. “We got sidetracked, which we can’t let happen for whatever the circumstances are in a game that’s close like that.”

Haley confirmed today that his comments after the Seattle game had did not cause an immediate decision to take over play calling duties.

“I wouldn’t look too closely into anything,” Haley said today. “I was very disappointed with the game in general. I haven’t watched the press conference but I don’t think I felt too happy about anything at that point. There is no clear cut time, it’s just a matter of doing what we feel is the right thing.”

GAILEY RELEASES STATEMENT
August 31st – 2:46 PM

“There’s never great timing for situations like this. However, Todd has to do what’s best for the team and for the future of the Chiefs. I respect that. It didn’t work out for us, but I certainly think that he has a very fine offensive mind and I feel very fortunate to have worked for the Chiefs these past two years.

“I look forward to seeing how I might be able to help the franchise in the near future in other areas.”

LJ TALKS CHANGES AT COORDINATOR
August 31st – 2:09 PM

Pro Bowl RB Larry Johnson has seen his fair share of coaching changes over his six-plus years with the Chiefs. Following today’s practice, Johnson echoed Haley’s comments that the timing was right to make the switch at offensive coordinator.

“It’s better now that in the middle of the regular season,” Johnson said. “It was coaches choice to step in and intervene at this time rather than wait until Week 8 or Week 11.”

Johnson had nothing but good things to say of Gailey as an offensive coordinator, but he saw the writing on the wall and thought a change was inevitable.

“To me, it’s like my mother says,” Johnson explained. “There’s just too many roosters in the hen house, so to speak. Two coordinators who are both passionate about what they do and passionate about calling plays. For me, it was only a matter of time.“

For right now, however, Johnson knows that whoever calls the plays doesn’t matter if the players aren’t executing their roles.

“Until we go out there and start winning games, it doesn’t matter who is calling the plays,” Johnson said. “We need to do out there, execute and do things right no matter who is calling plays.“

As for handicapping Haley’s style of offense, Johnson doesn’t think you can compare the Chiefs with the Cardinals. Two different teams require two different strategies. Whatever the extent of his role under Haley, Johnson is on board and knows that he will have to do his part to make this offense click.

“He knows that different players need different plays,” Johnson said. “As far as what Todd told me, we are going to run the football and do things that we need to do. It definitely puts pressure on me knowing that Baltimore is the first game of the season. We all have to do our part to pick up the extra slack.

“We just have to follow Scott and Todd’s leadership,” Johnson continued. “Their dedication to winning has already shown and opened up a lot of eyes. We are in a situation where we are the underdogs. We need to do the things that we need to do to get this team back to winning.”

HALEY MAKES TOUGHEST DECISION TO DATE
August 31st – 1:28 PM

Todd Haley said today that his decision to relieve Chan Gailey as offensive coordinator has been his toughest decision to date as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs.

“I have assumed the role as offensive coordinator of the Kansas City Chiefs,” Haley said. “It was a very difficult decision for me. I think the world of Chan as coach and have the greatest amount of respect for him as a coach and as a person there is no better. Ultimately the fate and accountability of this team falls to me. It just became more apparent to me that I had to be more involved. The finger is going to point back at me and I have to do what I think is best for this team now and into the future.“

Haley reiterated throughout his press conference that this is a very hard thing to do, but he felt that it was best for the team to act now.

“Timing wise, it was better for me to do this now than to go into the regular season,” Haley said. “The advantage I have now is that I now know what my duties are. With this being the first time for me, I’ve gotten some time under my belt to realize what I have to do and what I’m responsible for week in and week out. I’m able to map out in my mind whether I can handle it or not handle it. I feel like this is best for the team.“

To Haley, business is business and it boils down to one thing. Winning football games.

“It’s not fun, it’s not nice,” Haley said. “I just think that we’re going to do everything here at the Kansas City Chiefs that we can to win championships. That’s the ultimate goal and right now we’re trying to lay the foundation of where we want to get to.“

Haley’s coordinating style will be solely about focusing on what works, regardless of where the input comes from.

“When I’m coaching I try to have very little ego involved,” Haley explained. “I try to find the best answer whether that’s coming from our quality control coach, our assistant head coach, the quarterback, the running back or an offensive lineman. If there is some evidence to back up what somebody is saying I’m all ears. I always have been and i feel like that’s helped me as I’ve worked my way through the NFL.“

Haley refused to get into his philosophical differences with Gailey in the press conference. He said that at this time he feelings were strong enough to make the change for the best of the team.

As far as changing the offense, Haley said that there wouldn’t be immediate “wholesale” changes to the scheme. Haley also said that he will be taking over duties as quarterbacks coach.

Haley later said that Gailey will remain with the organization in some capacity, but his new role has yet to be defined. Gailey is likely to resume his work with the Chiefs in the operations/personnel side of things.

PRACTICE OBSERVATIONS
August 31st – 12:31 PM

A news heavy morning (and weekend for that matter) here at Arrowhead, but there is still a game to be played on Thursday at St. Louis and the Chiefs were back at practice this morning with a helmets and shoulder pads session.

Practice Observations…

• Held out were WR Devard Darling, CB Brandon Flowers, S Bernard Pollard, LB Zach Thomas, WR Amani Toomer, TE Jake O’Connel and QB Matt Cassel.
• After missing two-of-three kicks vs. Seattle, K Ryan Succop was back to form, hitting four-of-four kicks with his longest coming from 49 yards.
• With the departure of offensive coordinator Chan Gailey, head coach Todd Haley and offensive quality control coach Nick Sirianni handled the Chiefs QBs.
• It was interesting to watch Haley at practice as he called plays off cards to the QBs, but he also spent time observing the defense as well.
  
• QB Tyler Thigpen worked with the first-team offense (no, the offense did not go to the spread look).
• Rookie CB Donald Washington was working with the first-team defense in place of Flowers, while CB Maurice Leggett continued to work the nickel. Washington had a nice INT during the first team period.
  
• As the depth chart holds true, S Jon McGraw practiced with the ones, while S Jarrad Page ran with the second-team.
• LB Derrick Johnson practiced today, but worked with the reserves while LB Demorrio Williams ran with the first-team.
• T Damion McIntosh was back at the starting right tackle post.
• With everything going on outside the locker room, the Chiefs players morale did not look low. LB Tamba Hali was encouraging the defense and offense to practice hard throughout the day.
  

HALEY TO CALL PLAYS?
August 31st – 10:28 AM

This offseason has brought much discussion as to whether head coach Todd Haley will call plays for the Chiefs in 2009. Until today, playcalling duties had remained in the hands of offensive coordinator Chan Gailey. Those duties changed this morning.

The Chiefs announced this morning that Gailey has been relieved of his playcalling duties. Head coach Todd Haley is expected to address the situation following this morning’s practice. No announcement has been made as to who will call plays for the Chiefs going forward.

Haley spent the previous two seasons as Arizona’s offensive coordinator. Overseeing an offensive surge that set a franchise scoring record in 2008 (427 points), Haley was part of the Cardinals remarkable renaissance that led to an NFC Championship and Super Bowl XLIII appearance a year ago.

PLENTY OF CHANGES TO CHIEFS LATEST DEPTH CHART
August 31st – 7:39 AM

The Chiefs released their most recent depth chart on page 16 of the team’s latest game release. There are a number of changes. The most notable changes occur on the defensive side of the football and include…

• DE Tyson Jackson joining the first-team defense at left defensive end.
• LB Demorrio Williams joining the first-team defense at MLB. He replaces previous first-teamer LB Derrick Johnson, who moves to the third-team.
• LB Corey Mays takes over first-team duties at the other MLB position. The injured LB Zach Thomas moves from first to second-team defense to make room for Mays.
• S Jon McGraw is listed as the first-team free safety, bumping S Jarrad Page to second-team. Page did not play in Saturday night’s game vs. Seattle.
  

SHORT WEEK, BIG DISTRACTION
August 31st – 6:07 AM

It’s Monday morning for the rest of the working world, but Monday equals Thursday at One Arrowhead Drive this week. There is so much to accomplish in such a small window of time. It’s a hectic push to the start of the regular season as the Ravens game looms in less than two weeks. The last thing the Chiefs need as they prepare for the regular season is a 1,000-pound gorilla in their locker room.

The Chiefs will announce their first round of cuts sometime between now and tomorrow afternoon, but nobody is talking about that. The Chiefs have a handful of starting positions yet to be claimed with just 60 minutes of preseason football remaining, but nobody is talking about that. The Chiefs will battle cross-state rival St. Louis in just three days as they look to defend the Governor’s Cup. I’m sorry Gov. Jay Nixon (thanks for stopping by Arrowhead last Friday), but nobody is talking about that either.

The short week, the cuts, the competition…it’s all been put on hold. The 1,000-pound gorilla is suffocating them all. Problem is, the show must go on and the gorilla needs to budge.

You guessed it, the 1,000-pound gorilla represents the Chiefs injury situation – specifically the leg injury suffered by QB Matt Cassel on Saturday night vs. Seattle. Cassel’s injury status, rehab and everything that surrounds the situation will be the topic of conversation that Chiefs players, coaches and front office personnel are going to have to address each and every day until Cassel re-takes the field for game action. They’ll get asked countless questions by the media, see text after text come across their phones and deal with “injury small talk” while out in Kansas City.

That’s the nature of the beast, but it’s the last thing that this football team needs right now. CB Brandon Flowers, WR Devard Darling, LB Derrick Johnson, S Jarrad Page and LB Zach Thomas are all treating undisclosed injuries as well. As easy as it is to think about “what if” scenarios, there’s still a game to be played on Thursday.

“I don’t think they’re going to be cancelling that game,” Haley said.

Rumors have run rampant about the extent of Cassel’s injury since the second he went down on the game’s third play vs. the Seahawks. A wide range of reports have surfaced, but the one getting the most play is from Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports, largely because he claims to have spoken with a team source. I’ve pasted Cole’s report, in full, below.

Quarterback Matt Cassel could miss two to four weeks with a strained medial collateral ligament in his right knee, a source within the Kansas City Chiefs organization said.

Cassel, who the Chiefs acquired in a trade with New England this offseason, was hurt Saturday night in an exhibition game against Seattle. The injury is not expected to require surgery because MCL injuries usually heal on their own.

However, the injury means Cassel could miss the Chiefs’ season opener at Baltimore on Sept. 13. If Cassel can’t play, Tyler Thigpen is expected to start the season. Thigpen, who had been the subject of trade rumors earlier this week, played in 14 games last season when the Chiefs went through injuries at quarterback. He finished the season with 18 touchdown passes, 12 interceptions and a quarterback rating of 76.0.

Cassel also suffered an ankle injury, but that was not considered as serious as the MCL injury.

Cole’s report very well could be 100% accurate, but I’m always weary of any reports citing the infamous “unnamed source.” Cole’s report also cites the wrong leg (Cassel clearly injured his left leg, not right) and claims that the Chiefs have already anointed Thigpen as the team’s new temporary starter. Haley has yet to officially name any players (at any position) as starters, so there are some things that raise the eyebrows in the report.

Regardless, these are the types of distractions that this team will have to confront as they charge forward during the short week and beyond. I can guarantee one thing though. The message delivered by Haley this week will continue to focus on competing and learning to win.

“I want to win,” Haley said following Saturday’s game. “We need to learn how to win and right now we’re three preseason games without showing the ability to win or finish or do the things we had to do to have a chance. That’s where we’re at, but we’ll start to find out who has some staying power.”

It’s going to be a whirlwind of a week at Arrowhead.