Twenty-eight months ago, when Brett Veach took over as the Chiefs general manager before his 40th birthday, he saw a roster dotted with both stars and holes.
This week, the Chiefs most complete team in years maybe their best team, well see prepares for a divisional round playoff game. Kansas City has now claimed consecutive first-round byes and 12-win seasons for the first time in franchise history.
Veach inherited an enviable situation. The Chiefs had a star quarterback, a rookie running back who would lead the league in rushing, two premier pass catchers and some valuable pieces on defense.
Veach, director of football operations Mike Borgonzi, assistant directors of player personnel Mike Bradway and Ryan Poles and the rest of the front office have made a good situation even better.
They did it despite circumstances they felt forced the release of that star running back and the trade of an All-Pro cornerback. They did it around three defensive stars who aged out, another whose All-Pro career was torpedoed by a bizarre injury that dragged down an entire season and a salary cap situation that many in the industry considered to be an obstacle.
They did it by adhering to three priorities above all overs.
1. SUPPORT PATRICK MAHOMES
If the Chiefs had just one rule, this would be it:
Do whatever is best for Patrick Mahomes.
The franchise first moved to Kansas City in 1963 and has never had anything like him. The Green Bay Packers have often been criticized for wasting too much of Aaron Rodgers prime by counting on his individual excellence to drag everyone around him to the top.
The Chiefs coaches and executives have made something of a blood oath to take the opposite path. Thats a major reason they drafted running back Kareem Hunt two rounds after Mahomes, signed receiver Tyreek Hill and lineman Mitchell Schwartz to contract extensions, paid airport prices for receiver Sammy Watkins and used their first pick in the 2019 draft on receiver Mecole Hardman when theyd originally targeted defensive backs.
Hardmans selection is instructive. At the time, the Chiefs felt desperate for help at cornerback but saw their 56th overall pick as a bad investment at that position. To get the guy they wanted, they wouldve had to be into the first round. With the players available at that pick, waiting a few rounds for a developmental player made more sense.
With that context, they added Hardman, a college standout at Georgia, and made a fast team faster. It should be noted that the draft fell at the deepest moment of uncertainty surrounding Hill, who was part of an investigation into child-abuse allegations. Club decision makers did not know if Hill would be kept or cut. But, either way, they saw Hardmans speed and upside hed only played receiver for three years as a particularly good fit for Mahomes talent and coach Andy Reids scheme.
When in doubt, support Mahomes. Play to your strengths.
