None of those three guys are stupid. None of those three guys have taken any time off from studying the game of football. If they choose to return to coaching, they know what the game is now, and they'll only return if they have confidence they can adapt.

Defined by whom?

Cowher wasn't phased out. He left after a Super Bowl because his wife died.

He would fix the defense for sure and has always drafted well.

However, NO COACH has EVER won a Super Bowl with two different franchises. Hiring one of these guys would mean you are rebuilding without the hope of winning it all. They'd likely have to pass the baton for that to happen.

Cowher all the way!

Gimme a defensive HC every single time.

Your coordinators create your game plan, your HC instills attitude. Defensive minded HCs create a more cohesive, aggressive attitude throughout their entire team.

It seems to suggest I would be pro-Cowher but ultimately I went Billick. I know his background is as an OC, but he did a great job with his defenses in Baltimore and really showed that he knew how to operate on both sides of the ball.

Ultimately I wouldn't want any of them, but if forced to pick between those 3, gimme Billick.

His wife didn't die until three and a half years after he retired.

He didn't run the drafts: That was Dan Rooney, Tom Donahoe and later, Kevin Colbert.

And Pittsburgh's drafts have been poor the past ten years. They didn't draft a first round QB for 24 years.

Cowher's 55 years old and has been out of the game since December 2006. I don't think he would adapt well to the current pass-happy league.

I cannot foresee a scenario which any of the guys listed would become head coach of the Chiefs.

If the Chiefs clean house and bring in a young GM, it's likely that GM will hire a younger coach, not a guy old enough to be their dad.

Their intelligence level is irrelevant. Each of them are obviously very smart to have the success they had. It's their approach to the game that is too old. That's what's been phased out. You can't simply bring in a smash mouth type coach, and expect smash mouth football to work because it had success at one point in the past. Football philosophies don't really evolve much, in the heads of old coaches. Which is why we have the statistic showing that coaches don't win superbowls with Team #2. Also why Romeo is currently floundering...

Nor can I.

Well no, that's not true. I think if the Chiefs offered Cowher complete control, he'd come. And probably Billick as well.

Give them the 'Belichick' package and I'll bet they'd give it a go. They'd probably do a half-assed job and suck pretty terribly, but they'd try, IMO.

Like I said - I don't like this plan, just answering the poll.

That's where these guys' intelligence comes into play. I don't think any of these guys would return to football without being educated enough to know they have to change philosophies.

I could see DeCosta taking another lap with Billick, but that's about it.

This point needs to be repeated

Gruden. He is a go getter. He lives and breathes offense and quarterback play. If he was paired with a solid 3-4 attack style defensive coordinator, I would be pretty excited. I'd be concerned about Cower now that the game is so dependent on stellar QB play as opposed to the days when he was coaching and a game manager with a good defense behind him could get it done. Don't want Billick.

NONE OF THEM

That crossed my mind but I didn't post it because I really doubt he'd go that route. I could see him reaching for Rob Ryan before Billick. I don't think Billick's undeserving by any means but I don't think he's the right guy right now for the Chiefs.

But that said, I doubt DeCosta leaves Baltimore and I seriously doubt that Clark would even attempt to pry him away because it would cost a fortune.

Considering that Clark will still owe Pioli a reported $5 million if he fires Poili at the end of 2012, I think we'll see more of an "under the radar" guy like Eliot Wolf or Marc Ross take over - a Ryan Grigson/Thomas Dimitroff kind of guy.

I'd shit my pants if he went after Polian. I truly hope that isn't the case.