KC Chiefs roster: Reactions, observations from 2021 cuts

Leadership in partnership

We’re all well aware of this but we likely don’t mention it enough: the fact that the Chiefs’ organization is a model organization, one in which every key leadership element is in sync with one another.

It’s not hard to find NFL teams with warring factions between a front office and coaching staff. It happens every year when philosophies somehow don’t seem to match up despite millions of dollars being spent in the hiring process. Even the Chiefs just a decade ago suffered through a miserable stretch in which general manager Scott Pioli was completely at odds with the very head coach he hired in Todd Haley. Not only was the drama embarrassing, but it led to a pitiful team culture and the on-field product suffered the most.

Reflect on this when you’re seeing a front office willing to go with a guy like Daurice Fountain or Jody Fortson over Cornell Powell. This is key because for some persons in the front office, their passion for Powell led to taking him in the fifth round only a few months ago. He’s not even had a single official NFL snap and the team decided to pass. That’s a knock on someone’s credibility—at least if that person is concerned about it—and that’s the sort of thing that could lead to keeping the lesser player.

Instead, we are watching a set of leaders in sync with one another. There are no egos involved. There’s no need to please. Everyone simply wants to win a Super Bowl and if a newly signed tryout player is outperforming a fifth round pick, then you go with the better player regardless of the investment.

These are the sorts of moves made by a team with mature leadership in all phases, strong communication skills, and a shared vision of the future. This might not seem like much but some teams will never reach the same summit because they lack the harmony of the Chiefs organization.