NFL FanHouse

Choking Diner Gets the Heimlich Maneuver, Says, 'Tony Gonzalez Saved My Life'

Michael David Smith — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 07:38:00 EST

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Tony Gonzalez has impressive career stats: 820 catches, 9,882 yards, 66 touchdowns. And now, one saved life.

Gonzalez was having dinner in a restaurant in Huntington Beach, California, last week when a man named Ken Hunter started choking. Hunter tells the Associated Press what happened from there:

"Tony saved my life. There's no doubt,"...

"I tried to take a drink of water, but I couldn't swallow. Then I couldn't breathe. That's a terrible feeling. I couldn't breathe. Then I guess I started to panic."

Gonzalez jumped up, grabbed Hunter and performed the Heimlich maneuver. "After just a few seconds, the piece of meat popped out," Hunter said.

Choking Diner Gets the Heimlich Maneuver, Says, 'Tony Gonzalez Saved My Life' originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 08 Jul 2008 07:38:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Former NFL Player, Announcer Bill Maas Says Football Left Him Brain Damaged

Michael David Smith — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 10:24:00 EST

Filed under: Chiefs, NFL Media Watch, Kansas City

Former Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman and Fox TV announcer Bill Maas gave two lengthy interviews to the Kansas City Star in which he discussed the drug and legal problems that ended his broadcasting career, and the most interesting revelation is that concussions suffered playing football have left him permanently brain damaged:

The frontal lobe of his brain is damaged. Doctors say it's a direct result of his NFL career and has caused him depression, minor speech problems and extreme loss of short-term memory.

It's one of the conditions that drove him online, buying hydrocodone and other painkillers from pharmacies he knew probably weren't legitimate. He says his drug use began when his broadcasting career went downhill; a source says it was the other way around.

Maas doesn't come across like a guy who wants to blame the NFL for his personal problems, but he does sound like a guy who wants to get back into the game he loves.

And he says he can't figure out why the Chiefs' front office isn't asking his opinion about players at his old position:

"With all due respect to the Chiefs," he says, "they've wasted eight top draft choices on defensive tackles and still haven't filled the position. You know? Eight. I'm a block away. You want to throw me a film?"

Unfortunately for Maas, the Chiefs likely think they don't need to hear the opinions of a guy who has been arrested multiple times, who has been addicted to drugs, and who has permanent brain damage from his playing days. He's most likely never going to have an NFL job again.

Former NFL Player, Announcer Bill Maas Says Football Left Him Brain Damaged originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 06 Jul 2008 10:24:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kansas City Chiefs Should Officially Retire Jersey of Hero Joe Delaney

Michael David Smith — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:34:00 EST

Filed under: Chiefs, Kansas City

Every time the Kansas City Chiefs announce that they're retiring a jersey number -- as they did recently with former cornerback Emmitt Thomas -- it raises the same question: Why haven't they retired the number of Joe Delaney?

Twenty-five years ago, Delaney was a 24-year-old running back who had led the team in rushing in both of his pro seasons. But on June 29, 1983, he drowned while trying to rescue three boys who were stuck in a pond. His No. 37 jersey has not been worn since, but it also hasn't been retired.

Why not? The Kansas City Star explains:

"The criteria for retiring jerseys was established by Lamar Hunt," said Chiefs associate director of media relations Pete Moris. "And that's the criteria we use.

"Basically, if a Chiefs player gets into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the basis of that election was based on his career with the Chiefs, his number will be retired."

OK, but why not make an exception to Lamar Hunt's rule, just this once? The Chiefs have already taken No. 37 out of circulation. Why not make it official, and create a lasting tribute to Delaney's greatness, on and off the field?

Kansas City Chiefs Should Officially Retire Jersey of Hero Joe Delaney originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:34:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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KC Chiefs to Allow NFL Fans to Stand at Games, Just Not Too Much

Stephanie Stradley — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:55:00 EST

Filed under: 49ers, Chiefs, Texans, NFL Fans, Kansas City

Recently, a number of websites criticized a newly written Kansas Chief policy that would make "standing" a form of prohibited conduct at a football game. The Chiefs have amended their policy by changing it three times since more fans learned of the policy on the internet.

On Tuesday as illustrated in the NFL Experts Blog, the policy prohibited:

"Standing and/or obstructing the view of other fans."

Yesterday, the Chiefs clarified the rule stating that the policy prevented:

"Excessive standing and/or obstructing the view of other fans"

Today, as I prepared to write this story, I noticed that the Chiefs policy now prevents:

"Continuous standing and/or obstructing the view of other fans."

Congratulations fans and interwebs for making your voices heard. This morning, I spoke with someone from the Chiefs to ask about the clarification of their policy.

Apparently, the NFL asked all 32 teams to put their code of conduct policies in writing on the internet. It was explained to me that the Chiefs encourage fans to stand and cheer for their team, but that fans should do it within the flow of the game. I was told that this has always been the policy, but this is the first year that it is in writing.

As far as I can tell, the only teams in the league that refer to standing in their conduct codes are the Chiefs and the 49ers (who prevent "excessive standing.")

Personally, I believe that if you want to be assured of perfect sight lines to watch a football game, your shiftless cheese doodle finger-stained layabout self should stay at home and watch the game from the comfort of your tattered lazyboy chair. Or maybe you should acquire club or suite tickets so that you can drink your poor quality chardonnay without exerting yourself other than getting up to watch the game by the bar.

I will admit to being particularly sore about this topic because some lady eating a salad told me to sit down at a game when my team was defending third and short. Uh no, thank you.

I commend the Chiefs for being responsive to fan concerns, but I believe that teams would be better served not to mention standing in their conduct codes. It puts ushers in a bad position to determine what is excessive and what is not.

Last year, I wrote about a Texans season ticket holder who got kicked out of the Bull Pen area of the stadium for standing too much even though the Bull Pen policy encourages standing throughout games.

The Texans ended up apologizing to the fan and getting the fan and the usher to talk through the incident. The Texans have decided to increase the training of the ushers in that area informing them of that policy, and sent out an off season letter to Bull Pen ticket holders about the nature of that section. They offered to find new seats for those fans who might feel uncomfortable standing throughout the game.

Ultimately, I believe that teams shouldn't have a policy prohibiting standing in front of their ticketed seat because in the real world you don't want ushers to have to tell fans that they are being too fanatic. The ushers should focus on keeping people from standing in the aisles, but other than that, they shouldn't be policing fan standing.

KC Chiefs to Allow NFL Fans to Stand at Games, Just Not Too Much originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NFL Draft Grades: Kansas City Chiefs

Dan — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 09:45:00 EST

Filed under: Chiefs, AFC West, NFL Draft, Kansas City

Kansas City Chiefs 2008 Draft Picks:

Round 1 (5): Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU
Round 1 (15): Branden Albert, OG, Virginia
Round 2 (35): Brandon Flowers, CB, Virginia Tech
Round 3 (73): Jamaal Charles, RB, Texas
Round 3 (76): Brad Cottam, TE, Tennessee
Round 3 (82): DaJuan Morgan, S, North Carolina State
Round 4 (105): Will Franklin, WR, Missouri
Round 5 (140): Brandon Carr, CB, Grand Valley State
Round 6 (170): Barry Richardson, OT, Clemson
Round 6 (182): Kevin Robinson, WR, Utah State
Round 7 (210): Brian Johnston, DE, Gardner-Webb
Round 7 (239): Mike Merritt, TE, Central Florida

The Good: See all 12 picks above -- that's the good. Kansas City added value with every single selection they made, and addressed nearly every need they had. Glenn Dorsey was considered by some to be the number one player available, while Albert, Flowers, Cottam and Robinson (special teams) all add significant talent to positions in need. And what about the other nine players selected? They all have tremendous upside as well and each represented solid value at the position they were taken.

The Bad: Is there any? The Chiefs made 12 picks this past weekend and on paper, it looks like they made every single one of them count. If there's one knock on anyone, it's that Braden Albert will be a "work in progress." Still, that's hardly a negative for someone who figures to be a quality NFL starter for a very long time. Beyond that, the only other negative that presents itself was the failure to draft another quarterback.

The Grade: A. In comparison to the other 31 teams, Kansas City left Radio City Music Hall on top. They had a fantastic draft and appear to have secured a bright future. Although they may not make it to the playoffs this coming season, they've certainly given their fans something to be excited about.

Click here to read other draft grades.

NFL Draft Grades: Kansas City Chiefs originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 29 Apr 2008 09:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chiefs Take Brandon Flowers, Virginia Tech

Michael David Smith — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 18:52:00 EST

Filed under: Chiefs, NFL Draft, Kansas City

Virginia Tech cornerback Brandon Flowers was generally recognized as the best of the second-tier cornerbacks. There were the big four of Mike Jenkins, Leodis McKelvin, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Aqib Talib, and then Flowers was supposed to be at the top of the next tier.

So it's a little surprising that Flowers fell behind not only the big four, but also behind Antoine Cason, who went to the Chargers with the 27th pick. In any event, the Chiefs took Flowers with the 35th pick, and he's the third potential 2008 starter the Chiefs have added today. With Glenn Dorsey and Branden Albert in the first round and now Flowers in the second, you have to like what you saw today if you're a Kansas City fan.

Previously on FanHouse:
Herm Edwards Wants the Chiefs to Have Every Pick in This Weekend's NFL Draft

Chiefs Take Brandon Flowers, Virginia Tech originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sat, 26 Apr 2008 18:52:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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15. Kansas City Chiefs Take Branden Albert, G/T, Virginia, in NFL Draft

Michael David Smith — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 16:41:00 EST

Filed under: Chiefs, NFL Draft, Kansas City

The only question about Virginia's Branden Albert is whether he's a guard or a tackle in the NFL. At Virginia he played guard, where he was dominant, but NFL teams usually don't take guards this high in the draft, and that the Chiefs would trade up for him strongly indicates that he'll be a tackle in the NFL.

The above video was made by a fan hoping the Cowboys would take Albert, but that didn't happen, and it's actually surprising that he lasted until the 15th pick, which the Chiefs acquired in a trade with the Lions.

Previously on FanHouse:
FanHouse Mock Draft: Kansas City Chiefs Select OT Ryan Clady No. 5
Herm Edwards Wants the Chiefs to Have Every Pick in This Weekend's NFL Draft
Top-5 Picks Don't Go as Far as They Once Did
NFL Draft: Brian Brohm in the First Round?

15. Kansas City Chiefs Take Branden Albert, G/T, Virginia, in NFL Draft originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sat, 26 Apr 2008 16:41:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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5. Kansas City Chiefs: Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU

Michael David Smith — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 15:27:00 EST

Filed under: Chiefs, NFL Draft, Kansas City

Louisiana State defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey entered the 2007 college football season as the top pro prospect on most draft boards. Then he suffered a knee injury when an Auburn offensive lineman cheap-shotted him, and then questions surfaced about a stress fracture dating to 2006, and all of a sudden there was talk that Dorsey would drop.

But the fact is, the Kansas City Chiefs, who chose Dorsey fifth overall, just got a good football player, and a football player who will be healthy enough to go at full-speed right away. Last year there were all sorts of whispers about Adrian Peterson not being healthy enough to play. How did that work out for the Vikings?

Dorsey is mostly known as a run-stuffer, but he had seven sacks in 2007 and is a better pass rusher than he gets credit for. He's a complete player.

Previously on FanHouse:
FanHouse Mock Draft: Kansas City Chiefs Select OT Ryan Clady No. 5
Herm Edwards Wants the Chiefs to Have Every Pick in This Weekend's NFL Draft
Top-5 Picks Don't Go as Far as They Once Did
NFL Draft: Brian Brohm in the First Round?

5. Kansas City Chiefs: Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sat, 26 Apr 2008 15:27:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Allen Worth His Price in Picks

JJ Cooper — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 22:31:00 EST

Filed under: Chiefs, Vikings, Minnesota, Kansas City

Somewhere between the initial reports and the actual deal, the price for Jared Allen went up. Allen ended up costing the Vikings their first-round pick and both of their third-round picks. As Michael David Smith pointed out, that's a pretty pricey haul of picks, and that's before the Vikings also spent six years and $74 million on Allen's new contract.

MDS' opinion was that the Vikings would have been better off keeping the picks and building through the draft. But what exactly could the Vikings get with those picks they gave up? From what I found, the chance to acquire a Pro Bowl veteran, if you have the cap room, may be a safer bet than taking the shot with those picks in the draft.

To get an idea of what the Vikings could have drafted, I looked back at who were taken with the No. 17, No. 73 and No. 82 picks in each of the past eight drafts. What jumps out is that there are a whole lot more misses than hits, even with the first-round picks.
Among the first-rounders, Jarvis Moss is too inexperienced to judge, and David Pollack saw injuries end his career after only 1 1/2 years. But with the exception of frequent Pro Bowler Steve Hutchinson, the rest of the first rounders are solid starters, but not Pro Bowlers.

The third-round picks are much less successful. Only one of the 16 picks, Will Witherspoon, has become a consistent starter. Add it all up and out of 24 picks, only one has become a Pro Bowler, and only three others can be argued to have become impact players. Now I picked exactly the picks that the Vikings would have had in this year's draft. If you pick and choose, you can find third-rounders like Steve Smith, but there are more Leander Jordan's than Smith's in the third round.

So while the Vikings paid a hefty price for Allen, it's not as lopsided a deal as it appears. If the Vikings had kept those picks, it's likely they would have found a solid starter in the first-round, and potentially a decent contributor in the third round, but you could argue that getting an impact defensive end is worth more than those three picks.

For those who want the details, here are the picks year-by-year.

2007: Jarvis Moss, DE; Jacoby Jones, WR; Tank Tyler, DT

Moss saw his rookie season ruined by injuries. He had 12 tackles and one sack in six games. Jacoby Jones had a minor impact last year, catching 15 passes for 149 yards. Tyler has 11 tackles in 15 games as a backup.

2006: Chad Greenway, LB; Dusty Dvoracek, DT; Derek Hagan, WR

The Vikings know all about Greenway--they drafted him. He missed his rookie season, but returned to record more than 100 tackles last year. Dvoracek has been a bust--he has two tackles in one game in two years. Hagan has been the Dolphins No. 3 receiver for two years. He has 50 catches over the past two years and three touchdowns.

2005: David Pollack, LB; Vernand Morency, RB; Alfred Fincher, LB

A neck injury has forced Pollack to retire after playing just one and a half seasons with the Bengals. He had 4.5 sacks before retiring. Morency has a grand total of 726 rushing yards in four seasons with the Texans and Packers. Fincher has 20 tackles in three seasons with the Saints.

2004: D.J. Williams, LB; Keith Smith, CB; Devard Darling, WR

Williams is a four-year starter for the Broncos. While he's never been a Pro Bowler, he has been a very key member of the Broncos defense. Smith has been a backup DB for the Lions for four years. He has five starts in his career, and four interceptions. Darling caught two passes for the Ravens in 2004, but it took until 2007 for him to catch another pass. He has 20 catches overall.

2003: Bryant Johnson, WR, Ricky Manning, DB; Wayne Hunter, OT

Johnson has been the Cardinals No. 3 receiver for most of the past five years. His best season was 2006, when he caught 40 passes for 740 yards. Manning will always be remembered by Panthers fans for his four interceptions in the playoffs on the Panthers path to the 2003 Super Bowl. But he's been a productive backup corner for most of his career (37 starts in five years). Hunter has only played in four games in five years.

2002: Philip Buchanon, CB; Will Witherspoon, LB; James Allen, LB

Buchanon has had an up and down career. He does have 16 interceptions, but there's also a reason that a former first-round pick is on his third team in seven years. Witherspoon started eight games as a rookie. He's been a starter ever since, and has recorded more than 100 tackles in three seasons. Allen started 10 games for the Saints in 2004, but he was out of the league two years later, and he finished his career with only 89 tackles.

2001: Steve Hutchinson, OG; Eric Westmoreland, LB; Heath Evans, FB

Hutchinson has been a Pro Bowler for the Seahawks and Vikings. He's the best pick on this list. Westmoreland had four starts in a brief four-year career. Evans has bounced around to three teams during his career, but he has been a reasonably productive fullback with three touchdowns to go with adequate blocking.

2000: Sebastian Janikowski, K; Ron Dixon, WR; Leander Jordan, OG

Picking a kicker in the first round was controversial at the time. It still is as Janikwoski has been solid, but not a Pro Bowler. Dixon caught 36 passes in a three-year career, and Jordan started 14 games in seven seasons and played in only 37 games overall.

Allen Worth His Price in Picks originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 23 Apr 2008 22:31:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vikings Overpay for Jared Allen: Six Years, $74 Million, $31 Million Guaranteed

Michael David Smith — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 06:53:00 EST

Filed under: Chiefs, Vikings, NFL Draft, Minnesota, Kansas City

The Minnesota Vikings and Kansas City Chiefs made it official Tuesday night, agreeing that defensive end Jared Allen will go to the Vikings in exchange for Minnesota's first-round pick (No. 17) and two third-round picks (73rd and 82nd).

But they did more than just that. The Vikings also signed Allen to one of the largest contracts in NFL history, a six-year, $74 million deal with $31 million in guarantees. And that's just too much salary cap space to tie up in one player.

Allen is a very good defensive end, and he's only 26 years old, and he'll make the Vikings' defense better for years to come. But he won't make the Vikings' defense so much better that he can justify taking up more than 5% of the salary cap every year.

These are the contracts that hurt teams' depth. The Vikings would be better off adding the 17th, 73rd and 82nd best players in this year's draft, and getting them for a combined cost of less than what they're paying Allen.

Vikings Overpay for Jared Allen: Six Years, $74 Million, $31 Million Guaranteed originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 23 Apr 2008 06:53:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Allen Deal Is Done

JJ Cooper — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 23:17:00 EST

Filed under: Chiefs, Vikings, Minnesota, Kansas City

So maybe the Vikings inability to land a defensive end in free agency ended up being a good thing.

According to ESPN.com, NFL.com and the Star-Tribune, the Chiefs agreed on Tuesday night to accept the Vikings offer of its first-round pick and the first of its two third-round picks in exchange for All-Pro defensive end Jared Allen. The Star-Tribune is reporting that there is the possibility of another later pick being included as well.

The trade helps the Chiefs move on in their rebuilding plans. It gives Minnesota the vital piece to fix the most gaping hole in a pretty decent defense. Offensive coordinators should have nightmares trying to figure out how to adequately block Allen and Kevin Williams on passing downs (while also worrying about Pat Williams caving in the middle of the line with his massive body). Allen will give Minnesota the ability to rely less on blitzing next year, which will help what's a pretty mediocre secondary.

The big question with Allen is whether he's gotten his drinking under control. He's been charged with three DUIs in the past four years, but the Vikings believe that he's put that behind him. Of course, the trade also shows that character concerns are relative--it all depends on how good the player is.

The Allen Deal Is Done originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 22 Apr 2008 23:17:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Could Eagles Trade for Chiefs' Jared Allen? Minnesota Seems More Likely

Michael David Smith — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 10:50:00 EST

Filed under: Chiefs, Eagles, Vikings, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Kansas City

Everyone around the NFL seems to agree that defensive end Jared Allen, the Chiefs' franchise player, will be a member of the Minnesota Vikings within the next week or two. But there may be a surprising new team in the Allen sweepstakes: Philadelphia.

Bob Grotz of the Delco Times reports that the Eagles have offered to trade cornerback Lito Sheppard and draft picks to the Chiefs in exchange for the rights to Allen, who would still have to sign a contract with the Eagles to make the trade happen.

But it apparently won't happen because, by all appearances, Allen has already made up his mind that he wants to play for the Vikings, and now it's just a matter of getting a deal finalized. Right now, the most likely scenario seems to be that the Vikings will sign Allen to an offer sheet next week, the Chiefs will decline to match it, and the Vikings will get their man in exchange for their 2009 and 2010 first-round draft picks. But if the Eagles blow the Chiefs away with a trade offer and blow Allen away with a financial offer, that could change things.

Could Eagles Trade for Chiefs' Jared Allen? Minnesota Seems More Likely originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 22 Apr 2008 10:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jared Allen Likely Leaving Chiefs for Vikings, Via Trade or Free Agent Signing

Michael David Smith — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 09:17:00 EST

Filed under: Chiefs, Vikings, Minnesota, NFL Free Agency, Kansas City

All signs point to Jared Allen being a member of the Minnesota Vikings within the next two weeks, either because the Vikings and Kansas City Chiefs work out a trade, or because the Vikings sign Allen to an offer sheet that the Chiefs decline to match.

In the latter scenario, the Chiefs would get the Vikings' next two first-round draft picks, which means the Vikings would wait until after Saturday's draft, and then send the Chiefs their 2009 and 2010 first-round picks. For the Vikings' brass, the thinking would be that they'll gladly take one of the best defensive ends in the league now over a couple of players they might get in the first round a year or two from now.

Allen, the free agent defensive end whom the Chiefs slapped with the franchise tag, is ready to leave Kansas City, and the Vikings very much want him. Although there are concerns about his history of drunk driving, when he's on the field he's a difference-maker, and he would instantly improve the Vikings, a team that came up just short of the playoffs last season. Kansas City doesn't seem to want to sign Allen to a long-term deal, and the Chiefs could use a couple of future draft picks. This is a move that makes sense for both teams, and for Allen.

Jared Allen Likely Leaving Chiefs for Vikings, Via Trade or Free Agent Signing originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 20 Apr 2008 09:17:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Debating NFL Union, Kyle Turley Drops an F-Bomb on Robert Smith on Live Radio

Michael David Smith — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 06:57:00 EST

Filed under: Chiefs, Vikings, Minnesota, Kansas City

Offensive lineman Kyle Turley, who announced his retirement from the Kansas City Chiefs this year, is one of the most outspoken opponents of the NFL player's union. Running back Robert Smith, who retired from the Minnesota Vikings in 2000, is one of the most passionate supporters of the union.

In addition to being diametrically opposed on the issue of the union, Turley and Smith are also intelligent, articulate people, and when they appeared on Dan LeBatard's radio show together, the sparks flew. Sports by Brooks transcribes the juiciest parts, starting with Turley swearing at Smith:

"This is a serious issue. Families are affected, people are becoming homeless, living in shelters. Do you not see a problem with that? Well, f- you, then!"

After that they took a brief break, and then Turley continued:

"You know what? It's near pointless to speak to this guy, OK? Because he's not listening. People are not listening."

Smith's response:

"To say that the union doesn't care just isn't true ... To say that I'm not paying attention, that I'm not listening, that it doesn't make any sense to talk to me - man, I've been doing this for 15 years, I don't get a dime for it. I do it because I care about the players, every single player that's ever played the game or that will play the game."

Smith makes his point well, but Turley is correct on the fundamental issue, which is that there are too many former NFL players living with long-term health problems from the injuries they suffered in the league. The union should do more for those players.

Latest NFL Photos

NFL football commissioner Roger Goodell, right, speaks with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones prior to a luncheon Wednesday, April 16, 2008, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tim Sharp)

AP
** FILE ** In this Sept. 8, 2007 file photo, Oklahoma wide receiver Malcolm Kelly, right, heads into the end zone with his second touchdown of the game in front of teammate Jon Cooper, left, and Miami defender Dwayne Hendricks, center, during the first quarter of a college football game in Norman, Okla. Kelly took advantage of a second chance to work out for NFL scouts and cut more than two-tenths of a second off his time in the 40-yard dash. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)

AP
** FILE ** In this Nov. 11, 2007, file photo, Buffalo Bills quarterback J.P. Losman throws against the Miami Dolphins during an NFL football game at Dolphin Stadium in Miami. Losman doesn't appear to be going anywhere despite his request that the Bills trade him. "J.P.'s on this roster and he's a part of this organization. And we anticipate J.P.'s going to be on this team," Bills chief operating officer, Russ Brandon, said Wednesday, April 16, 2008. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)

AP
** FILE ** In this Nov. 11, 2007, file photo, Buffalo Bills quarterback J.P. Losman throws against the Miami Dolphins during an NFL football game at Dolphin Stadium in Miami. Losman doesn't appear to be going anywhere despite his request that the Bills trade him. "J.P.'s on this roster and he's a part of this organization. And we anticipate J.P.'s going to be on this team," Bills chief operating officer, Russ Brandon, said Wednesday, April 16, 2008. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)

AP
** FILE ** In this Dec. 2, 2007 file photo, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Chris Redman passes during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the St. Louis Rams in St. Louis. After being out of the league for three full years, Redman made an improbable comeback last season and appears likely to remain the Falcons starter in the Year 2 A.V., After Vick. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)

AP
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick listens to a reporter's question during a pre-NFL draft media availability at the team's football facility in Foxborough, Mass., Wednesday morning, April 16, 2008. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)

AP
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick responds to a reporter's question during a pre-NFL draft media availability at the team's football facility in Foxborough, Mass., Wednesday morning, April 16, 2008. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)

AP
New England Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork listens to a reporter's question during a pre-NFL draft media availability at the team's football facility in Foxborough, Mass., Wednesday morning, April 16, 2008. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)

AP
Football player Tony Gonzalez arrives at The Billie Awards presented by the Women's Sports Foundation in Beverly Hills, Calif. on Tuesday, April 15, 2008. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)

AP
** FILE ** Defensive back Antoine Cason of Arizona makes a catch as he runs a drill at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis in this Feb. 26, 2008 file photo. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)

AP

Debating NFL Union, Kyle Turley Drops an F-Bomb on Robert Smith on Live Radio originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 17 Apr 2008 06:57:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chiefs Won't Give Up on Long Hair Rule

Michael David Smith — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 08:33:00 EST

Filed under: Chiefs, Kansas City

NFL owners tabled the Kansas City Chiefs' proposal to ban NFL players from wearing their hair long enough to cover their names on their jerseys at this week's league meeting. But the Chiefs say they won't give up the fight.

Chiefs owner Clark Hunt tells the Kansas City Star that requiring all NFL players to keep their hair tucked under their helmets is something his father, Pro Football Hall of Famer and Chiefs founder Lamar Hunt, would have supported:

"He was always very much a stickler for players' names to be legible on the backs of jerseys," Hunt said. "He felt it was a positive from a marketing standpoint for the team, the league and the player."

Although Hunt says Commissioner Roger Goodell "has been supportive of it," all indications are that this rule has almost no chance of passing. The owners might take it up again at the May meeting, but if they do they'll vote it down. You have to pick your battles, and this battle just isn't important enough to fight with the players.

Previously on FanHouse:
NFL's Deal With Union Says 'No Player Will Be Disciplined Because of Hair Length'
NFL Could Ban Hair Flowing Out of Helmets
Herm Edwards on NFL Hair Proposal: 'Is It a Cultural Thing? No. It's a Uniform Thing'
Just So You Know, NFL: Troy Polamalu Is Not Cutting His Hair for Anybody

Chiefs Won't Give Up on Long Hair Rule originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 04 Apr 2008 08:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FanHouse Mock Draft: Kansas City Chiefs Select OT Ryan Clady No. 5

Dan — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 08:30:00 EST

Filed under: Chiefs, AFC West, NFL Draft, Kansas City

With each pick of the FanHouse mock draft, we get into the head of an NFL general manager and let you know who he'll pick and why.

It's no secret that the Kansas City Chiefs are in desperate need of some offensive lineman, and although it won't be flashy, they have to draft accordingly. With Jake Long already off the board, Kansas City is really only left with one choice: draft offensive tackle Ryan Clady.

Although most draft experts consider Long to be the premier offensive tackle in this draft, there are a few that believe Clady is the cream of the crop. And while his Wonderlic score left a little to be desired, there is no questioning Clady's supreme athletic ability.

Whether or not he's actually more talented than Long is still up for debate, but at this point, it's irrelevant anyway. With the fifth pick in the draft, the Chiefs have to do whatever they can to get better. And by drafting a 6'6'', 309 pound tackle with light feet and impressive mobility for his size, they do exactly that.

Clady will have to improve as a run blocker in the NFL, especially on a team like the Chiefs, but that shouldn't be much of a concern for Kansas City. Clady has earned a reputation as an extremely hard-worker and under a player's coach like Herm Edwards, there is little doubt that he'll continue to do exactly that.

It may take a year or two, but Clady will eventually become a top-notch NFL offensive lineman. He appears to be one of the few "can't misses" in this year's NFL Draft.

The Skinny:

Team needs - OT, OG, C, WR, CB, K
Player Selected - Ryan Clady, OT, Boise St.
Also Considered - Branden Albert, OG, Virginia; Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB, Tennessee St.

Next Pick:

No. 6 - New York Jets

FanHouse Mock Draft: Kansas City Chiefs Select OT Ryan Clady No. 5 originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 02 Apr 2008 08:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Herm Edwards on NFL Hair Proposal: 'Is It a Cultural Thing? No. It's a Uniform Thing'

Michael David Smith — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 10:55:00 EST

Filed under: Chiefs, Kansas City

The NFL owners will meet this week in Florida and vote on several possible rule changes, none of which has received more attention than the proposal to prevent players from wearing their hair so long that it covers the name on the back of their jersey.

Because the only NFL players who wear their hair that long are black or Polynesian, some have suggested that there are some racial undertones to the NFL's 32 white owners imposing such a rule on the players. But the rule was proposed by the Kansas City Chiefs, whose coach, Herm Edwards, insists that's not the case:

"Is it a cultural thing? No. It's a uniform thing," Edwards said. "It's not a safety issue, it's more a uniform violation. There's a certain way you have to wear that suit in the league."

Edwards grew up in a military family, so it's not surprising that he thinks short hair is the appropriate look, and he might be right that it's not a cultural thing. But it is a silly thing. Why does the NFL care if a player wants to wear his hair long?

Previously on FanHouse:
NFL's Deal With Union Says 'No Player Will Be Disciplined Because of Hair Length'
NFL Could Ban Hair Flowing Out of Helmets

Herm Edwards on NFL Hair Proposal: 'Is It a Cultural Thing? No. It's a Uniform Thing' originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 31 Mar 2008 10:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NFL's Deal With Union Says 'No Player Will Be Disciplined Because of Hair Length'

Michael David Smith — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 20:53:00 EST

Filed under: Chiefs, Jaguars, Steelers, Kansas City, Pittsburgh

The proposed NFL rules change that would bar players from wearing hair long enough to cover the names on their jerseys has become a big off-season story, with pundits debating the issue and the league preparing to vote on it next week.

But few stories have pointed out the huge problem with the rule: The plain language of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NFL and the players' union says it can't be enforced.

Article VII, Section 2 of the league's agreement with the union says: "Clubs may make and enforce reasonable rules governing players' appearance on the field and in public places while representing the Clubs; provided, however, that no player will be disciplined because of hair length or facial hair."

Yes, it's true that the NFL could say the rule -- which was proposed by the Chiefs and would target players such as Pittsburgh's Troy Polamalu and Jacksonville's Rashean Mathis -- doesn't technically discipline the player "because of hair length." They could say it technically only disciplines the player for failing to tuck the hair inside his helmet. But it's hard to imagine that the union wouldn't challenge such an interpretation and win.

So really, why are the owners even bothering with this? Let's hope they vote it down swiftly next week.

NFL's Deal With Union Says 'No Player Will Be Disciplined Because of Hair Length' originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 26 Mar 2008 20:53:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kyle Turley Wants Pacman Jones Banned

Michael David Smith — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 09:31:00 EST

Filed under: Chiefs, Titans, Kansas City, Nashville

Former Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman Kyle Turley, who retired after the 2007 season, has never been shy about expressing his opinions. And on ESPN Radio today, Turley expressed some very strong opinions about suspended Tennessee Titans cornerback Adam Pacman Jones.

Asked whether Jones should be reinstated into the NFL after serving a suspension for the entire 2007 season, Turley insisted that he shouldn't, saying that he believes Jones was directly responsible for a shooting in Las Vegas last year that left a man named Tom Urbanski paralyzed. Jones pleaded no contest to a charge of conspiracy to commit disorderly conduct, a gross misdemeanor

But Turley said he's personally familiar with the facts of the Jones case, and he said on the air today, "There's a lot more to this story than people want to know. I wish the entire thing would come out and who was there and who Pacman was in cahoots with. ... Pacman was definintely involved with this whole thing and the instigator of the whole incident."

It seems unlikely that Turley actually knows more about what happened than the authorities do, and it seems unlikely that if Jones were really as directly responsible for the shooting as Turley seems to believe, that the authorities would let him off with a no contest plea to a misdemeanor. But what does seem likely is that a lot of NFL players, like Turley, are sick of the way the handful of guys like Jones tarnish the reputation of the entire league.

Kyle Turley Wants Pacman Jones Banned originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 26 Mar 2008 09:31:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NFL Could Ban Hair Flowing Out of Helmets

Michael David Smith — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 10:06:00 EST

Filed under: Chiefs, Jaguars, Steelers, Kansas City, Pittsburgh, The Word

Steelers safety Troy Polamalu is known as much for the long hair that goes halfway down his back as for anything else. But Polamalu and other NFL players may soon be banned from exposing long hair on the field.

Adam Schefter reported on NFL Network that the NFL's competition committee is considering a rule that would bar a player from wearing his hair long enough on the field to obscure his name on the back of his jersey. Players like Polamalu and Jaguars cornerback Rashaen Mathis would either need to get a haircut or figure out a way to stuff all that hair in their helmets throughout a game.

According to Schefter, the Kansas City Chiefs proposed the rule change, perhaps motivated by the incident in October 2006, when Chiefs running back Larry Johnson pulled Polamalu's hair to drag him down from behind -- which is legal -- and then held onto the hair after both players hit the ground, drawing an unnecessary roughness penalty.

Schefter reports that the Chiefs have argued that the hair requirement should be enforced as a uniform violation, similar to the league's requirements that players wear their socks a certain way. But there's also some support for the rules change from league insiders who believe it's unsafe to have players running around with hair hanging out their helmet.

The 32 teams are expected to vote on the proposed rules change at the league meeting at the end of the month.

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** FILE ** Denver Broncos placekicker Jason Elam, back, kicks a field goal with the help of holder Todd Sauerbrun against the Green Bay Packers in the first quarter of an NFL football game in Denver in this Oct. 29, 2007 file photo. Elam has agreed to terms on Friday, March 21, 2008, to kick for the Atlanta Falcons durinG the 2008 NFL season. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, file)

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Seattle Seahawks linebacker Lofa Tatupu, left, smiles as he shakes hands with head coach Mike Holmgren at the press conference announcing Tatupu's contract extension through the 2015 NFL football season on Friday, March 21, 2008 in Kirkland, Wash. (AP Photo/Kevin P. Casey)

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New England Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss gets emotional after being presented with a U.S. Postal Service envelope with his likeness, at the West Virginia Cultural Center in Charleston, W.Va., Friday, March 21, 2008. Moss is the third West Virginia athlete to be on a special Postal Service envelope. The others were Los Angeles Lakers' Jerry West and gold-medal Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton. (AP Photo/Bob Bird)

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NFL Could Ban Hair Flowing Out of Helmets originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 21 Mar 2008 10:06:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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