Crennel will become Chiefs' D-coordinator, reunite with Weis, Pioli
Just call them the Kansas City Patriots.

When they take the field next year, they Chiefs will have the same defensive coordinator, offensive coordinator and top front-office executive who helped lead New England to three Super Bowl titles between 2002 to 2005.

Throw in quarterback Matt Cassel, who backed up Tom Brady with the Patriots, and the New England-Kansas City connection becomes even stronger as Scott Pioli attempts to reverse the fortunes of the long-suffering Chiefs.

Romeo Crennel, the defensive coordinator on the Patriots' Super Bowl teams, agreed Wednesday to join the Chiefs in the same capacity, his agent said. Crennel, who was out of football this past season following hip surgery, will be reunited with Charlie Weis, who was the Patriots' offensive coordinator and agreed last week to take that job with the Chiefs.

Crennel and Weis will work for Pioli, who one year ago resigned as the Patriots' personnel director to become the Chiefs' general manager. One of Pioli's first acts was to trade for Cassel and make him the foundation quarterback for his long-term rebuilding project in Kansas City.

Crennel's agent, Joe Linta, said Crennel would begin working for the Chiefs in a "couple of weeks" after attending to some family business and coaching in the East-West all-star game. The Chiefs declined comment.

The Chiefs are in the process of relieving current defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast of his duties, a league source told NFL Network's Jason La Canfora.

Crennel will retain linebackers coach Gary Gibbs, the source told La Canfora, but other staff changes are coming. Defensive line coach Tim Krumrie was let go last week.

The New York Giants also had expressed interest in Crennel and talked with him by phone Monday. But Crennel told them that the Chiefs, who run a 3-4 defense similar to what he coached in New England, probably would be his first choice.

Crennel and Weis will join a franchise that has won just 10 games in three years and went 4-12 last year in Todd Haley's rocky first season as a head coach.

Besides their successful experience with the Patriots, the two new coordinators also have post-New England failure in common. Weis left the Patriots to become head coach at Notre Dame and did get off to a good start. He was fired Nov. 30 with a five-year record of 35-27.

Crennel, 62, left New England to become the Cleveland Browns' head coach. And five years later, he was fired with a 24-40 record, including 4-12 in 2008.

Both men also face a big challenge to help Haley and Pioli get the Chiefs back into contention. Kansas City showed some life near the end of the season, but it hasn't won a playoff game since the 1993 season and is still just 6-35 in its last 41 games.

The Chiefs' defense had some of the worst games of any in the NFL this past season, twice sending opposing players into the record book with franchise-best performances.

Miles Austin, in an overtime victory over the Chiefs, set the Dallas Cowboys' single-game record with 250 receiving yards. Then, later in the season, in what many Chiefs fans consider the low point of the entire year, Cleveland Browns backup Jerome Harrison rushed for an astonishing 286 yards, wiping out Jim Brown's team record with the third-highest single-game total in NFL history.

The Chiefs pick fifth in the April draft. And they would seem to have a favorable schedule in 2010 with just three games against 2009 playoff teams.

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"Tis The Season, Fa la la la la LaFontaine" - Rick Jeanneret

Redskins hire Haslett to run defense
Posted: January 12th, 2010 | Jason La Canfora | Tags: Bob Slowik, Greg Blache, Jerry Gray, Jim Haslett, Lou Spanos, Mike Shanahan, Mike Waufle, Rick Venturi, Steve Jackson, Tim Krumrie, Washington Redskins

Former Saints coach Jim Haslett has signed a three-year contract to become the Redskins’ defensive coordinator, according to league sources.

Haslett takes over for Greg Blache, who is expected to retire, and joins new coach Mike Shanahan’s staff. Haslett interviewed with Washington on Monday and had been scheduled to interview in New York for the Giants’ defensive coordinator job later this week.

Look for Haslett to invoke lots of 3-4 elements in this defense — Shanahan reportedly is intrigued by that scheme. Haslett could bring defensive line coach Tim Krumrie with him, but the Redskins also interviewed former Giants assistant Mike Waufle as a defensive line coach candidate Monday, at a time when Haslett also was interviewing. Longtime Shanahan associate Bob Slowik will be a part of the staff as well, sources said, likely coaching in the secondary in some capacity.

Sources said Rick Venturi is a strong candidate to be the Redskins’ linebackers coach, and the team also has asked for and been granted permission to interview Lou Spanos, who spent the last 15 years as an assistant linebackers coach with the Steelers, who run a 3-4 defense (Haslett ran a 3-4 when he coached in Pittsburgh as well).

Current secondary coach Jerry Gray, who interviewed for the Redskins’ defensive coordinator and head-coaching jobs but received neither, is a candidate to remain on staff. Redskins safeties coach Steve Jackson, who interviewed to remain on staff in some capacity Tuesday, also could stay.

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"Tis The Season, Fa la la la la LaFontaine" - Rick Jeanneret

it looks like some of the bigger names are starting to fall off the chart.

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"Tis The Season, Fa la la la la LaFontaine" - Rick Jeanneret

Again, unless we get a Football Coach with a proven record both in coaching and player selection; I have zero faith in this pathetic organization. Even questionable candidates aren't interested, and won't be interviewing.

70 year old rookie GM Buddy Mix, and possibly a rookie head coach. A front office that could fuck up a wet dream.

Recipe for fucking disaster from absolute garbage organization.


Please prove me wrong; please........

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"I'll rap you with my cane; you pencil necked geek!!"

-Bowler, imitating Freddy Blassie, at the very first M & G.

It looks like the Skins are making all the moves we SHOULD have made. Even the Chefs are making good moves.

...and so far the Bills have laid an egg. Surprised??

The question is; can The Buffalo Bills get Wayne Fontes or Rich Kotite to interview? Maybe Herm Edwards......

Talk about lowered expectations.........

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"I'll rap you with my cane; you pencil necked geek!!"

-Bowler, imitating Freddy Blassie, at the very first M & G.

I mean I'm starting to doubt Perry Fewell would even be interested.

Wilson said; "We have decided as an organization, to rehire Dick Jauron. We believe this is an exciting new direction. Our goal is to win a Super Bowl."

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"I'll rap you with my cane; you pencil necked geek!!"

-Bowler, imitating Freddy Blassie, at the very first M & G.

god damnit haslett. its not like were not making overtures to people.

things didn't turn out so bad for us against the last guy that gave up the bums rush.

what are we like 8-1 vs mike mularkey?

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

wow...thought the bills would have had a head coach by now....things don't look to promising...at least i'll be saving $$$ by not getting the nfl package next year

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"It is more about them than it is about the team...Cannot play with them, cannot win with them, cannot coach with them. Can't do it. I want winners. I want people that want to win." - Mike Singletary

Tyler Myers - Future captain of the Buffalo Sabres, and future Norris Trophy Winner

Manning the machine gun on the Tyler Myers Bandwagon - just in case any teams have an idea of prying him away from us (3 GM's shot already)

Connolly/Roy - 2 goals in the last 47 playoff games

All kidding aside; this is really a very sad era in Buffalo sports. I just spoke with Thurman Thomas about the situation. While he laughed at my suggestion of Wayne Fontes and Rich Kotite, the conversation quickly turned more somber. He also feels it's gotten to the point where no one wants to come here.

We are truly between a rock and a hard place. We conceivably only have a team because Mr. Wilson still owns The Bills. Under Mr. Wilson mediocrity is becoming hopelessness. Which is worse? I believe with the games still selling out - up to this point, that the Buffalo fans have spoken.

The question is; with a weak pick for GM, and no apparent strong interested candidates for head coach, will the Bills keep selling the stadium out? Not to mention a management team that has proven their incompetence in consistently evaluating and drafting players.

Miracle aside (cough>Bill Cowher<cough), I think this is the year the shit hits the fan, and attendence drops. Even die hards have to realize this is going horribly wrong. Embarassing. Buffalo fans deserve much better.

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"I'll rap you with my cane; you pencil necked geek!!"

-Bowler, imitating Freddy Blassie, at the very first M & G.

It really is embarrassing when the Bills can't get people to even interview with the team.

IMO, no one will come here until we have a QB. Who would want to come into a situation where you aren't even sure who will be your QB next year? Until that position is spoken for, no one will want to take a chance at ruining their reputation if things go wrong...and a coach that already has established a reputation in the league just plain won't want to deal with the headaches of finding a QB.

How about taking a stab at Vick as soon as free agency opens? (don't laugh) I know he isn't an outstanding quarterback, and not even the player he once was, but he is still a great ATHLETE and more importantly he is a NAME. Maybe that would turn some heads and make someone interested in looking to Buffalo to coach.
Heck, maybe even TO would think about sticking around for that.

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Keep your eyes focused this time. Keep us infront of your sights. I've waited long for this; our time to shine, I just hope we have the time.

word is russ grimm is the top candidate

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

Well, he certainly won't fit the intellectual mold skeletor had.

Russ Grimm's greatest moment #27:

From Dan Steinberg's D.C. Sports Bog:

We practiced on Wednesday nights. They had a nice little bar in Carlisle, they had chili dogs and stuff like that. So we had [practice] that night and I got in the huddle and it smelled like a brewery. And [Grimm] got a little overheated. And I don't mean to say throw up...but he threw up, and he threw up a hot dog. It hit the grass." ...

... Grimm "picked that wiener" off the ground. The ball boys got nauseated, and one said "Mr. Grimm, you can't do that." And Grimm blew on the hot dog, shook it off, and then popped it back in his mouth.

"Can't waste a good dog now," he said.


Lovely, just lovely. I hope this story isn't too HORRIFIC for some readers.

Russ Grimm is nut; I love it!

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"I'll rap you with my cane; you pencil necked geek!!"

-Bowler, imitating Freddy Blassie, at the very first M & G.

Grimm has some good offensive line experience too which we sorely need. Hopefully he would install a top notch mind as the offensive line coach.

I like guys that come from a specialized position. Typically they are not so arrogant as to not surround themselves with the best people and will trust them to do their jobs. Shanahan has a nice track record (with Elway), but he also has a nice track record of being an arrogant cock who sticks his nose into too many areas of his team.

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

Report: Kugler to Steelers
Chris Brown
Posted January 13th, 2010
Tags: Sean Kugler
Former Bills offensive line coach Sean Kugler has landed in Pittsburgh.

According to NFL.com’s Jason LaCanfora, he’ll be announced as the Steelers new offensive line coach. Kugler had to deal with a complete mess in his last season on the Bills staff with respect to his offensive line.

He had five players in all new positions to start the 2009 season with a left tackle that did not have a single NFL start on his resume. By season’s end his two starting offensive tackles and three guards were on injured reserve along with the team’s top two blocking tight ends.

Kugler was forced to field six different offensive tackles tandems and nine different offensive line lineups in 2009, and more than once had to get a newly signed player ready to start in a matter of four days or less (see: Jamon Meredith, Kendall Simmons).

The Bills line was a mess all season, but to lay it at the feet of Kugler would be missing the mark. The Steelers line also has some improving to do, but something tells me Kugler will be able to handle it.

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"Tis The Season, Fa la la la la LaFontaine" - Rick Jeanneret

i'm hoping Frazier gets the job. and he hires Marc Trestman as offensive coordinator, and can find a great d coordinator.

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"Tis The Season, Fa la la la la LaFontaine" - Rick Jeanneret

this might be a stupid question, but why is everybody over looking Brian Billick?

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The Lounge Rat

Cuz he's showing no interest and hasn't been contacted by the Bills, by his own words.

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mechaphil

bobby april gone. sad. dying.

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual