Herm Speaks 12/16
From Arrowhead Stadium
It would have to rank as one of the more interesting Herm Edwards weekly press conferences during his time in Kansas City.
With Carl Peterson’s resignation not even a day old, and wide spread speculation about his future as the team’s head coach, Edwards trudged through the snow to his Tuesday meeting with the media horde.
Here are the more interesting passages of the 21-minute session.
ON WHETHER HE FEELS HE WILL HAVE TO SELL HIMSELF TO THE NEW GM
“I’m not going to sell him on anything. I don’t think I have to. I’m going to be what I am and I’m going to coach the team the way I coach them. I think we all agree that this is the right direction to go. That’s why we chose to do this last year. Did we think it was going to be this painful? No. But I think we all agree that it’s the right direction and we’re going to stay on this course after this season and the years to follow. We’re all on the same page. That’s great. We’re not going to change the direction of this organization.”
Analysis:
A new GM is either going to want to keep Edwards, or he’s going to want to have his own man running the team. At this point, there really isn’t anything Edwards can do about that. Sure, finishing up with two victories would be helpful. But it won’t change what this season has been: a rebuilding effort that was a lot harder than anybody thought it would be.
DO HE THINKG THE CHIEFS WILL BE A MORE COMPETITIVE TEAM NEXT YEAR?
“Yes. When you tear down something you have build a base and our base was going to be the draft. That’s what we did. We built a base for this football team. Now, you’re going to have another draft this year of seven players and from there you can go into free agency and pluck a few guys that you feel will fit in spots. That was part of the plan when we decided to do this. Now, it will come to fruition this year for us. We have some money under the cap and we can go get some quality guys but they’ve got to fit. You can’t make a mistake on them. You really can’t. Because I think not only do they have to be good players; they have to be good leaders, because again, they’re walking into a team that is fairly young, the youngest team in football.”
Commentary: The Chiefs will be active in free agency, but they will not be so active as to satisfy those fans who think signing half-dozen free agents is the ticket to the playoffs. On a long-term basis – in the NFL that’s say five years – free agency works only as an opportunity to plug in empty spots on a depth chart that the draft did not fill. More cap dollars and more cash dollars have been wasted in the NFL on unrestricted free agency than anywhere else.
SHOULD THE CHIEFS HAVE BEEN A BIGGER PLAYER IN FREE AGENCY COMING INTO THE 2008 SEASON?
“No, because our mindset was the draft and to go through the college ranks and build it that way first, build your base. That’s what we decided to do. I think what hurt us early was some of the veterans we had here got hurt, they got injured early and that hurt us some. When you’re not playing you can’t lead; that’s very difficult. Now that we are headed in the right direction, a lot of hard work has been put into this and now it’s got a great foundation to build on.”
Commentary:
see above.
HOW HE DEALS WITH THE UNCERTAIN NATURE OF EMPLOYMENT WHEN YOU ARE A FOOTBALL COACH.
“It’s what you believe in. For me, it’s real simple. It’s my faith. If you live by faith and not by sight you’ll be fine. I think most people want to live the other way; they want to see it first. I don’t believe that. You live by faith, you do the right things for the right reasons and things always work out. They really do. I try to live my whole life that way. You don’t worry about things you can’t control; you do the best you can with the cards you’re dealt. You don’t complain about it, because there’s no need to complain about it. It doesn’t do any good. You work. That’s what I’ve always done my whole career and why I’m sitting here today. I’ve worked for everything I’ve ever achieved. I’ve been given that great opportunity starting here in ’89 and ’90 as a scout. When I got out of the league my first job was here in professional football being a scout. I live my life that way. You don’t worry about the things you can’t control.”
Commentary:
Every coach tries to control his environment as much as possible. They do this through the way they structure the coaching staff, the locker room, the support personnel. But in the end, a coach doesn’t work in a vacuum. There are things out of his control. That Edwards has survived this season without going completely daft is a perfect example of the philosophy he’s taken. Will it all work out? That’s out of his hands. But he’s done it his way and he’s worked his tail off.
WOULD HE HAVE STARTED THE REBUILDING PROGRAM IN HIS FIRST YEAR AS HEAD COACH, BACK IN 2006?
“I’ll put it this way: I don’t look back. I really don’t. I don’t have time. I think when you look back you get to make excuses. I don’t live my life making excuses. I always say, you get a set of cards and you play them and you play them to the best of the ability that you have. You know in this life that you don’t get to make all the decisions. That’s the way it works and you don’t worry about that. You just control the decisions you get to make. Once they’re made and whoever makes them, you get the cards and you have to play them. That’s what we try to do here.”
Translation: Sure, he would have liked to have been rebuilding in 2006. But understand this: Edwards knew the situation when he took the job and the situation did not include stripping the team down to the studs and starting over. The situation handed to him was taking Dick Vermeil’s team and getting it to the playoffs. He did that. The post-season loss to Indianapolis was so complete and overwhelming it provided another opportunity to rebuild. That’s the moment the Chiefs missed and that’s why they are a year behind in the rebuild.
The chiefs have to find a competent FA RDE.
History will show that a rookie DE (or dlineman in general) wont make immediate production, and that will only slow the rebuild.
Rebuilding is great, but the goal is to get to, and win, a superbowl. With his conservative philosophy, and poor game day management, I am convinced Herm is not the man to lead the team there.
It would be hard to believe a new GM would feel any diffrently and stick with a coach with a losing record.
I still think we give Herm one more year and see where this draft takes us next season. The team is making vast strides in just the last few weeks. If they could close out a game they would’ve won the games that were decided by one score or less and would be ranked above the Broncos in the West right now…
This will all be very interesting. I’ve got my popcorn ready—
If you replace Herm now, (and the new coach will bring his own coordinators and philosophy)many of the players may not fit the mold of the new regime. Not to mention, they have to learn a whole new system. All of that sets back the process dramatically. It would be foolish, in my opinion, to interupt the current process without letting it play out next year. If we aren’t a contender next year, then all bets are off and the new GM can move forward with his own plan. Until then, my bet is status quo for one more year.
The finish of two strong wins ( 10 or more points ) after all these close losses , add a good draft — I myself would want to see how much help that a couple key strong free agents would take , what I think is already a good team .
I also think Joey is going to have some trouble , at least through half with Tyler .
After these last couple games ,these guyes are on fire .
Back in college you show up a team thats all fired up , and their young — watch out!!!!
The Chiefs are making strides because of 2 guys. Tyler Thigpen, who the hopefully soon to be ex Head Coach didn’t want to play TWICE, when given the opportunity. And Chan Gailley, who created an offense that fit Tyler best, when the decision to play him was forced on Herm by injury to the 35 year old, career 3rd stringer, that Herm wanted this rebuilding team to play. That decision alone by Herm, should be enough for any new GM worth his salt to jettison him, unless Clark ties a new GM’s hands, which would be a shame. Clark said all the right things, EXCEPT that the Head Coach would be his decision. It should be the new GM’s decision, period, and certainly should not be a condition of hire.
hey we gotta give herm another chance its not his falt we got beat deep on that play vs san diego that was a veteran player that knows better who blew that play and he didnt miss the feild goal at the end. look at how much better the cheifs are now compared to the begining of the year not alot of wins but we are getting better everywhere we just have a young inexperienced team next year well shut out san diego and lay some wood down on thos guys and we got 3 sacks vs sandiego no way we break a new record 4 fewest sacks in a season our pass rush is getting better just like everything els because of herms coaching and remember herms the guy that put together the tampa bay defense and that wasnt pretty at first either and that defens is still good herm nos what hes doing we just gotta bear with him next year everything will look a lil brighter if we keep herm that a promise.
p.s. dorsey is no bust
it would be a shame to not see what herm can do with these players that make up the roster he needs the last year to prove that this revamp is coming together also we need a power run game mixed with less spread CHIEFS are know for down hill stop us if you can run game herm beleives this and so does chan I was devastated about the loss to the chargers 1 catch away fumblia bowe should not be on the hands team think about the dropped 3 down drops hes had this year game changers in my opinion we will make the playoffs next year with herms team and herm coaching would also like to see gunther stay i think we are that close I am a chief fan not a football fan
WE are certainly not playing any kind of offense or system that Herm wants, so keeping him for offensive continuity is silly. I hope the new HC would keep Chan, but that should be his decision. There are other Coaches that can adjust their offense to the personnel like Chan did. And the performance of the D under Herm has been horrid. Herm needs to go, period, and the new GM should have the complete control to do that.
what game you been watching Mark herm should stay
Herm “put together the Tampa Bay defense”??? That’s freakin’ hilarious! I didn’t know defensive back coaches ran the defense, much less were the architects. Wow, go figure!
Hey, you all should go read/listen to the whole press conference. In it Herm calls the Dolphins a very veteran team… hahahahahhahahhhahahahhah
The dolphins are in the top 5 youngest teams in the NFL. What a joke. When he can’t come up with a bad excuse, he just plain lies.
These guys Are moving the ball , along with a ton of injuries , Im sorry, but I see something . OH , did someone step on Tamba Halies foot , Boy is he going to be a lot of trouble for someone !
Chad , ah – whats his name ?
What game am I watching??? The games where Herm Edwards is now 2-21 in his last 23 games as Head Coach. What games are you watching, Dave H? As Clark Hunt said, stolen from the great Parcells. You are what your record says you are. Herm is what he is, and that’s why this team badly needs and will get a new Head Coach to continue the rebuild and coach these young players into winners.
Now that Clark Hunt has grown a pair, I don’t think he can go back behind the curtains any longer. The new GM won’t take the job without the assurance that it will be his team to run, that is, if the new GM is a high profile type and his own man.
If that’s the type of guy Clark Hunt can lure to KC, Herm is as good as gone. If Clark Hunt wimps out, hires a yes man, then Herm lives to coach again in 2009. That’s how I see it shaking out.
I totally agree with MDChief. Bringing in a new coach with different schemes and philosophies will only cause more delays in the development and growth of these young players. Lets see how the rebuilding process pans out first.
For the Carl Peterson “haters” you must have forgotten the many years of losing before he turned things around.
We all know rebuilding was the right thing to do, but when the rebuilding is done and you have all of the players you want you still need solid coaching on gameday. We will never have that with Herm.
Going forward , the need for two managers and one that can see and feel the chance that on evaulation your looking at a future asset on the field , is hard to find . My question is does any one have one name ?
My #1– Trent Green .
Any one else ?
Herm Edwards the man has his act together. He’s going to succeed somewhere in the NFL. Might as well be here.
Changing the HFC and coaching staff would quite likely undermine the solid groundwork being established.
If the next GM decides on a change, he’d better get it right the first time.
Adding quality starters at RDE, RG and RT would do wonders for this football team. That’s a reasonable expectation for the coming off season.
Let me correct all the record holders around here. If coaches were only defined by their record Bellichick would have never gotten another chance after the Browns job. Shanahan wouldn’t have never gotten another chance after the Raiders job. And Jimmy Johnson wouldn’t have never gotten another chance after a 1 and 15 season. NO one knew he was going to be a great NFL coach. NOw hindsight is 20/20.
NOw I hear people banging on Herm record as the coach,but lets look at why it is bad. In 2007 the roster was old probably one of the worse roster in Chiefs history. No coach could have won with that team. Larry missed basically the entire season. The o-line couldn’t run or pass block. This year we enter the season with the youngest team in the league and we loose alot of defensive players for a large part of the season. Larry’s gone for a month. And we’re starting a first year starter that was originally the 3rd string quarterback. That being said with the hand Herm was dealt I think he’s done well. The team is competing with teams that are far superior in roster to ours and thats a good sign.
He at least deserves the opportunity to fill in the holes on this roster with a few free agents and another stellar draft in 2009. I mean when he had a decent roster he did take it to the playoffs and overcame not having a Trent Green that year. So I say he deserves at least one more year to evaluate him as a coach. Cause he wasn’t put in circumstances to succeed this year or last year.
Herm will be back another year.
The new GM will come in and take a year to get a feel for the team.
Agreed, DB. Unlike so many fans, a GM has to have a degree of patience to be successful, as does a coach and owner. If you want to make sub-3 year decisions on a coach, be prepared to continually go through this. We want to be the Steelers, not the Lions.
I hope the new GM comes from a system that emphasizes defense. It seems to me that there is some confusion or lack of focus in the organization that is preventing the Chiefs from working toward a coherent defensive vision; hopefully someone with some clout and a fresh set of eyes can start to deal with this. If that means getting rid of Gunther, or even Herm, so be it.
Despite the many talented offensive players the Chiefs have had over the years, I’ve always thought their identity lies in their defense. To put it another way, I’ve always thought of them as being more like the Steelers than like the Colts or Cowboys. I don’t think they’ll win consistently until they get back to this.
Weather Herm deserves another year or not is beside the point. Clark has said that he will make that decision with the new GM, which more or less means that the new guy will probably get what he wants. If Clark declares Herm the coach now, he will have closed the door to most of the worthy GM candidates. Put yourself in a GM’s shoes, he is not going to have his biggest decision made for him.
And for those of you that say a new coach will be a set-back for the rebuild….WE HAVE 2 WINS! We can’t go back much further than we are right now. The players will still be here. They would be fine with a new coach.
I want to second what findthedr said about a FA DE.
I agree with the idea the free agency should be used to plug the holes in an otherwise solid roster, and the Chiefs are too unsettled at this point to be in that category. But if a dominant RDE is available in free agency the Chiefs need to get him. It’s an obvious need, and waiting for one to develop will slow the overall progress of the defense. Just think how much better the record could have been this year with even a middle-of-the road defense.
Wow, what a speech by Herm. He really is full of himself. He works on faith and not on sight. Herm in Pro Football you work on sight. You see what is working and what is not. It is not like tossing the coin to see which team gets the call, that is faith. And really Herm, you spoke as though when the new GM comes in he will have to agree with your Philosophy, that your headed the right direction. If you think that then do you think you are the GM now. Herm please “Get REAL” if not for yourself, then the Fans, the Players and the Pro League.
Anybody seen this?
http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/12/16/president-vermeil/
I have a lot of respect for Vermeil, but THUMBS DOWN. New blood, please.
The Chiefs roster still has so many holes in it that it doesn’t really matter whether who the head coach will in 2009. It will still be another rebuilding year. I am very disappointed with the team’s lack of fundamentals this year and that points to the coaches more than the players, especially on defense. I think Gunther is gone after this year even if Herm is allowed to stay. One of Herm’s biggest mistakes has been keeping some of the previous coaching staff and trying to make them change to his “Tampa” way of doing things. It was wrong with Solari and it was wrong with Gunther. Herm’s only hope of survival is to have a def. staff who can actually teach the players how to play.
Thanks IL!
That thought makes me sick!
I pray Hunt dosn’t go with Vermil. As you said that would insure us that herm will stay on.
I believe Hunt’s best candidate is Pioli from NE. I also believe the new GM will allow Herm to finish out the final year of his contract BUT I think he’ll be “asked” to make some staff changes. If this happens, I think the team will be more active in FA to “make a run”. We all have to keep in mind many FAs to be won’t get to the market because of franchise tags, etc. Also, we’ll have to probably overpay because of how lowly we’ve become & the realization that if Herm does stay next year, that year may be his last therefore the stability aspect is something that will come into play with some of the FAs.
If coaching staff changes are made, I think Gunther, Peifer & Curl HAVE to go.
Some of the argument(s) for replacing Herm after this season are:
1. it would eliminate the specter of instability for the next few years.
2. it would certainly give a substantial portion of the fan base something to be positive about
3. you can’t do much worse on the field than Herm & his staff have done.
That’s why I’ve said in previous posts, I think its 50-50 Herm stays for next season.
Raleigh I don’t think it was Herm decision to keep Gunther and Solari more of Peterson decision. Because he wanted Herm to improve the defense and not change the offense because it was one of the top offenses in the league in years prior. So I think Peterson also felt loyalty to Gunther since he was here before as head coach and defensive coord. That is why I say Herm should get another year with his own coaching staff chosen by him. I think that handicapped the rebuilding situation. \
I agree Tim I think that is what’s going to happen.
Keep up the great work Coach Edwards. ALL of KC is behind you and we know that you will lead us back to glory very soon now.
AND NOW, Clark Hunt has RE-affirmed Herm’s The Man!
HA! HA! Rin did you poll KC or are you just “Stupid”? I know, it must be you Herm talking. All of KC, this makes no sense unless you have taken a Poll for every person in KC…
Keep blowing your horn Rin or should I say Herm.
Tommy Boy troubling himself as to the faculties another? Kettle calling teapot black.
As you both evidence and affirm, Rin’s wording definitely ‘cuts to the quick’ – and, sans any additional prodding, attracts the flies like a pest strip – you TB – times deux, nigh on tres.
“Two, three, hey c’mon babe, follow me – I’m the Pied Piper can’t you see? I’m the Pied Pieper, & I’ll show you where it’s at!”
Not cutting to the quick-It is to funny…
How dumb you really are Rin. Piped Piper even funnier. You must have something in your pipe that make you sound senseless. What are you going to do when Herm is gone… Say your sorry to all of KC that is behind you (Herm). What a moron.
Well….as much as I would hate to admit it, I believe they are going to keep Herm. As much as I believe Herm to be a virus for any football team where he is the “Head Coach”, to get rid of him at this point, would only make the last two years a waste.
We’ve gone through a rebuilding process and it will take the new GM one season to see where our team is at, because I doubt anyone is going to take Herm’s word for it. Now if Herm gets into the playoffs next year, then he will stay another, if not, then he’s gone.
As far as Gunther, I believe he is a solid defensive coordinator. The chiefs should not have signed Donnie Edwards and banked the heart of the Linebacking core on Johnson. They need to get Linebackers that are smarter, faster and stronger then Johnson. He is not a leader. Herm has waited for him to stand up and lead the defense but he can’t.
Our secondary is the bomb. The fact that we can’t get to the QB hurts the defense, but just wait, next season our secondary is going to be scary. Pollard has the talent of Palomalu. He just needs to have free reign.
Now here’s my fear, with Herm staying…will Tony G. stay?? Tony does not want to do another season with Herm and wants to win now. Tony knows that as long as Herm is the coach they will be playing “TO NOT LOSE THE GAME!” I will let Herm use, like he’s done all season, the teams “immaturity” to cover up his ability to effectively lead a team because he will not get away with his BS next year. However, Herms staying may cost us the best Tight End in the game.
It’s sad, but what do you think is better for the organization: Keeping Herm so that we don’t have to rebuild AGAIN and losing Tony or Tony staying and Herm going?
Tommy Boy says:
“It is to funny”
- ‘too’ would be the apropos here. Simple typos we all make – being a ‘simpleton’ – you – be an unforgivable sin.
“What a moron”
- you were saying?
“How dumb you really are Rin.”
- keep talkin’, you’re digging- er, doin’ fine.
heh heh heh
Oh, and Simple- er, Tommy Boy…what are ‘you’ gonna do if and when Herm stays?
heh heh heh
By the way….Albert Haynesworth is going to be available in the offseason…hmmm.
jorge says:
“Tony”
- unless Tony is a liar jorge, he wants Herm to stay & in fact said as much on Monday night with Mitch Holtus & Herm right listening to him. Tony will be back likely- what might make him unhappy -as he himself also said- was if Thigpen is ‘not’ the KC QB in 2009. He used the word ‘travesty’ to describe said if Tyler is not the man.
Shut up Rin.
No one is talking to you.
Jorge Tony will retire n a few years anyway…thats what players do so get over it….Herm has done a great job with all the castoffs from playoff bound teams. With the exception of 3 players(Dorsey,Johnson,Hali)our front seven are backups or maybe third stringers on a solid NFL team. Herm has done a helluva job IMO with cooking without the proper ingredients necessary 2 please all of us starving kc fans. But for u 2 say Gunther is a solid defensive coor. is hilarious, our defense hasnt been any good or even average since the late great Derrick Thomas! Remember when Herm took us 2 the playoffs n 2007, Herm put together a great defensive plan 2 shut down the Colts who then I belive had the best offense n the NFL.
Looking at your posts Rin… I get the feeling that you’re a “special” person, to be politically correct. So go to the zoo, play with you Legos, color your feelings on same paper, dress up your KC wolf doll, and continue talking to yourself.
P.S. Do not be mean to Rin! It’s bad Karma to be mean to “special” people.
jorge = Tommy Boy (without the intellectual affect)…
Okay Alex, so let’s get rid of Gunther, no problem here, and move Herm to Defensive Coordinator and find a new head coach. Problem solved for all of us!
jorge says:
“Looking at your posts Rin”
- I can understand that…
“I get the feeling”
- the adulation line forms to the right…Rin is certain you got that admirable ‘trait’ of genuine devotion via your own, oh, ‘breeding’ as it were. What did ma & pa kettle tell you whence you were matriculating’ as it were? No, ‘matriculating’… not that other tack you’re more familiar with. So then, what did your progenitors say to you? That you are a…what?
“that you’re a “special”Âť person, to be politically correct. So go to the zoo, play with you Legos, color your feelings on same paper, dress up your KC wolf doll, and continue talking to yourself.”
- uh huh, thought so.
heh heh heh
We need Carmen Policy for our GM he knows how 2 run a franchise! he he
Alex- As I remember Herm created a wonderful offensive game plan against the colts that allowed us to score 7 points….Obviously you don’t know what your talking about
Herm deserves one more year to coach “his guys”. Nobody said this was gonna be easy.
This is what Dallas went through with a young Aikman.
Relax.. this is a good thing. We needed this purge in the worst way. I promise you we will compete in the west next year.
SD on the decline.
Den- no D-very beatable
Oak – lost casue
We are being reborn a Hardbodied killing machine.
I Gar- un-teeeeee
It’s been my experience no one “deserves” any thing but must EARN EVERYTHING!!!
I think Herm is gone, rightly or wrongly there is the growing feeling of a culture of losing about the team now and yes it is tied to him. And a new GM wants to sink or swim with their own man. Outside of Gailey I think the entire staff has underperformed.
This is the BEST time to replace Herm. Yes, the current players probably won’t fit a new HC’s scheme, but what players are we worried about here? We have a talent deficiency. The last thing we need is another poor draft to set us behind another year so the new HC will have to find even MORE players to fit his scheme. Now is the perfect time to go in a different direction. We have a top five pick. Let’s not waste it on a coaching staff that likely will never get it done.
Oh ya, and the “faith”-style coaching methods of this staff are part of the reason we’re in such bad shape. Gun talks about looking into a players heart and smelling their soul and such junk. How about OBJECTIVE analysis of players? How about statistics and probabilities? Faith is retarded in a billion dollar organization.
And ps, we probably have the weakest group of assitant coaches in the league. Either that or the worst players. Either way, it’s again the perfect reason to make the change NOW.
pps – Pollard has the talent of Polamalu? Um. No. No, no, no. Not even close. I’m glad I wasn’t drinking anything when I read that.
Keep up the great work Coach Edwards. ALL of KC is behind you and we know that you will lead us back to glory very soon now.
AND NOW, Clark Hunt has RE-affirmed Herm’s The Man!
Rin you are becoming very………..very boring
Keep up the unproductive work Coach Edwards. ALL of KC is sick of you and we know that you will make excuses and lead us back to 2 and 14 very soon now.
AND NOW, Clark Hunt has RE-affirmed Herm’s The Man On The Hot Seat!
I reconfirm what JohnNdallas says (hope you don’t mind using your words, but this is awesome):
Keep up the unproductive work Coach Edwards. ALL of KC is sick of you and we know that you will make excuses and lead us back to 2 and 14 very soon now.
AND NOW, Clark Hunt has RE-affirmed Herm’s The Man On The Hot Seat!
Help your self Tommy Boy LOL!