http://espn.go.com/blog/kansas-city-...leaving-chiefs
Sunday's Kansas City Chiefs training camp practice brought a sight long overdue. Former president and general manager Carl Peterson was in attendance at camp for the first time since leaving the Chiefs after the 2008 season.
Relations between the Chiefs and Peterson, awful during the years when Scott Pioli was their general manager, have warmed with the arrival of general manager John Dorsey and coach Andy Reid. Peterson called the difference "night and day." He attended a game at Arrowhead Stadium last year for the first time since his resignation or ouster, the fact being it was some of both.
"I didn't have occasion to come back," Peterson said Sunday. "Scott Pioli never invited me. John Dorsey did."
The relationship between Peterson and Dorsey goes way back.
Peterson, when he was general manager of the USFL's Philadelphia Stars, drafted Dorsey when he was coming out of college at Connecticut. Dorsey instead signed with the NFL's Green Bay Packers.
So when the Chiefs sent Peterson an invitation to attend Sunday's Alumni Day practice session, he accepted. Peterson lives in New York but happened to be in Kansas City this weekend.
"We were all glad to see him today," chairman Clark Hunt said.
It's nice to see the Chiefs opening their doors to Peterson. He's the most important figure in the team's 55-year history other than franchise founder Lamar Hunt. While the Chiefs never won or even reached a Super Bowl in their 20 seasons with Peterson, he acquired many of the best players in their history. He drafted a couple of eventual Hall of Famers in Derrick Thomas and Will Shields.
Peterson deserves to be next year's entrant into the Chiefs Hall of Fame. Until he's selected, the team's Hall will have a void.
"I'll leave that for another discussion," Hunt said of Peterson's chances of reaching the team's Hall of Fame. "Carl had a tremendous career and a big impact on the Kansas City Chiefs."