Keeping Pioli Would Be A Huge Mistake By Hunt

Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

As we told you earlier, according to Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports, Kansas City Chiefs GM Scott Pioli will not be fired in the wake of the team’s poor season.

Cole sites a league source that claims Pioli will be retained but only after significant changes are made within the organization.

While I think Hunt retaining Pioli would be a huge mistake, I do have to say I could see this report turning out to be true. There have been whispers that Hunt is reluctant to cut Pioli loose. Given the groundswell of fan anger after yet another losing season, it seemed as though Hunt would be forced to make a change whether he wanted to or not.

If Pioli is indeed kept on, Hunt could be facing a fan revolt of epic proportions. Chiefs fans have been calling for Pioli’s head since early on in the 2012 season. Fans seem to feel that the organization doesn’t value them. After all, ticket prices go up, parking prices go up, but the product on the field continues to be underwhelming.

Just from a business perspective, I would be shocked that Hunt would stay the course with Pioli. Hunt has said publicly that he admires the way the Pittsburgh Steelers are run. Not panicking and keeping Pioli would certainly fit into the Pittsburgh model of consistency, however, firing Crennel would mean Pioli would be hiring his third coach in four years. That is the exact opposite of the way the Pittsburgh Steelers go about their business.

To be frank, I think many Chiefs fans would look at Pioli staying on board as a slap in the face. There is no telling whether or not Cole’s report is accurate. Likely, we will find out one way or the other on Monday.