Chiefs Mellinger: Marcus Peters is gone. The Chiefs have some explaining to do. - Page 3

**DaFace** · 02-23-2018, 07:48 PM

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt...201907719.html

Marcus Peters is gone. The Chiefs have some explaining to do.

BY SAM MELLINGER
smellinger@kcstar.com
February 23, 2018 07:27 PM

Clark Hunt, Andy Reid and Brett Veach deserve an opportunity to explain, because as it stands right now they have cloaked their franchise with failure.

That word is not used without thought. That word is not used without intent.

The Chiefs on Friday agreed to trade Marcus Peters to the Rams, reportedly for draft picks. Without hearing from the men who made this decision, the explanation that makes the most sense is one lacking in guts, ambition, commitment to success, and realism.

A difficult situation presents itself, and the Chiefs hit the eject button.

Starting with Reid being hired and paid more than any NFL coach who has not won a Super Bowl, the Chiefs have branded themselves as a place for second chances, where strong personalities are welcomed and supported.

Here, then, they failed with their strongest-willed and one of their best players. This was supposed to be their edge. Let players show their personalities. Get the most out of them. Except with Peters, the Chiefs failed to do it, apparently allowing the situation to become so untenable they traded him without a strong market of interest.

Again, Hunt, Reid, and Veach should be allowed to explain. This has all the markings of the Chiefs pushing Peters out, but there is always a chance the trade return was so overwhelming the Chiefs couldn’t resist. So these words are an initial reaction, not the final judgment. Still, the following is true:

Peters plays one of the most important non-quarterback positions in football, creates more turnovers than anyone else in the league, and just turned 25 in January with a year left on his rookie deal plus up to three more years of club control.

And he’s gone. For what?

The Chiefs traded a cheap, young star at a premium position despite the limited leverage of just two teams interested.

Why?

For draft picks? So they have an opportunity to select Peters’ replacement? That’s not the action of a successful franchise.

That’s the action of a franchise with more blown leads than wins in playoff games.

One more time, maybe there is a better and more sensible explanation, but here’s what it looks like at the moment: Hunt, who cowered when given the opportunity to stand up for his players’ rights last fall, wanted the headache gone.

He has been outspoken about wanting players to stand for the anthem, and talked Peters into staying in the locker room for the song. Hunt is a conservative man by nature, and it’s not a stretch to believe he wanted one of the NFL’s least conservative players off his team.

Because the other explanations don’t make as much sense.

The Chiefs want you to believe they are serious about winning and just traded one of their best players.

The Chiefs are trying to get younger and just traded a 25-year-old star.

The Chiefs’ secondary was awful last year and they just dumped (by far) their best cornerback.

The Chiefs retained a defensive coordinator who was exposed in 2017, deciding it was more about a lack of talent, and just shipped off one of the league’s most productive and dangerous defenders.

The Chiefs’ defense emphasizes creating turnovers, and they just traded the man who has created more turnovers than anyone else since he entered the league.

The Chiefs, in other words, have a disconnected vision of their future, or no serious expectations of success this season, or both.

Peters is not without his faults. Obviously. He is hyper competitive, which is his greatest strength right until the moment it becomes his greatest flaw. You don’t know when he’ll draw a personal foul, but you can expect at least a few every season.

Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Marcus Peters has lost his cool or done something that has resulted in a fine several times during the 2017 season. Neil Nakahodo, Pete Grathoff, David EulittThe Kansas City Star

Reid is by reputation one of the league’s great players’ coaches, and along with Terrell Owens, Peters is one of just two players Reid has suspended in 19 years. Peters’ protests during the national anthem angered a loud portion of the Chiefs’ fan base, and despite handing out turkeys and coats in Kansas City last year, the drama was never going fully away.

There is little doubt he was unhappy in Kansas City. Some of this was inevitable, because the player and his adopted home were so different. Peters could have asked to be traded, but his only leverage was a threat to sit out (which would mean not being paid, and not accruing service time toward free agency) or to not sign an extension (but the Chiefs could’ve controlled him for up to four more seasons).

The Chiefs were not against the clock here. They had time on their side.

The Chiefs could have supported the player, could have worked with the player. They could have found common ground. They could have defended the player against unfair public criticism, if that’s what it took.

Good organizations do that. The Chiefs traded the player. Organizations whose last Super Bowl appearance is old enough to be a grandfather do that.

One more time for the people in the back: Hunt, Reid, and Veach deserve the opportunity to explain. Chiefs fans deserve that, too. Maybe there is something that brings it all together.

But at the moment, only two explanations come to mind that make more sense than Hunt wanting the player out.

The first is that Peters had somehow become such a problem that he was breaking the locker room, and the organization made the advance decision to deal him now before he made more money and his trade value slipped.

That would have to account for the Chiefs players upset by the trade, require something much worse than what’s known so far, and be a tacit admission of failure by a coach hired in part because of his ability to get the best out of strong personalities.

The second apparent explanation would be that the Chiefs are fully embracing a rebuild, and selling off all valuable parts while they reset around quarterback Patrick Mahomes. If that’s the case, then more big trades should be expected.

There are varied holes in this logic, too, from the Chiefs having a good roster already to the NFL’s established history of teams winning with quarterbacks on rookie contracts.

But, at least it would be something.

At least it would be something that didn’t leave the sinking suspicion that the Chiefs just caved to the ugliest parts of their fan base and the weakest part of human nature by avoiding discomfort even as it sets them back competitively.

Mecca · 02-23-2018, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

And got five years of good LT play and arguably the best back in franchise history out of it, when Allen was a few PBRs away from a year suspension

That was a good deal.

I thought it was a solid deal at the time, but most teams wouldn't have made that deal.

-King- · 02-23-2018, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcpasco

You know how you deal with guys like Marcus Peters. You tell them to shut the **** up quit crying and play football. Or you could trade them off because you are spineless.

Yeah, is that how it works?
Posted via Mobile Device

kcpasco · 02-23-2018, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by -King-

Yeah, is that how it works?
Posted via Mobile Device

I’m sure he likes money.

Mecca · 02-23-2018, 08:25 PM

Peters has made a total of 7 million dollars he's in no position to hold out.

MVChiefFan · 02-23-2018, 08:27 PM

I’ll say this, if there have been a lot of behind the scenes stuff, and the whole team is sick of him and glad he’s gone, then fine. But, if it comes out that it was just strictly CHunt being a spineless, whiney, selfish turd that was just disappointed in him, it’s going to really infuriate me.

**kysirsoze** · 02-23-2018, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R8RFAN

I am glad he is gone personally, he gave Carr nightmares

We deserve to be trolled by this dipshit.

RINGLEADER · 02-23-2018, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcpasco

The Chiefs are dumb. I’ll be a fan until the day I die but they are stupid.

This is seriously the kind of thing that makes me question why I keep coming back for more punishment each season.

Unless we get Aaron Donaldson and a first or Peters is suspended for two seasons for some off the field issue then this makes absolutely no sense.

-King- · 02-23-2018, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcpasco

I’m sure he likes money.

And yet he still disrespected the coaches and quiting on games and plays. There was a long stretch of games where he literally stopped trying to tackle players. All he did was go for the strip and that was it. You think coaches weren't on his ass about it?

He plays when he wanted to play. He's been like that since college and probably before.
Posted via Mobile Device

-King- · 02-23-2018, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RINGLEADER

This is seriously the kind of thing that makes me question why I keep coming back for more punishment each season.

Unless we get Aaron Donaldson and a first or Peters is suspended for two seasons for some off the field issue then this makes absolutely no sense.

I hope you mean Aaron Donald OR a first. Donald is easily worth a lot more than Peters.
Posted via Mobile Device

**BigRedChief** · 02-23-2018, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MVChiefFan

I’ll say this, if there have been a lot of behind the scenes stuff, and the whole team is sick of him and glad he’s gone, then fine. But, if it comes out that it was just strictly CHunt being a spineless, whiney, selfish turd that was just disappointed in him, it’s going to really infuriate me.

if it turns out it was Hunt, the big time Trump supporter, not wanting a really productive player over said player silently protesting..... I’ll be really pissed too.

JakeF · 02-23-2018, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tombstone RJ

Do you have an example?

Just off the top of my head, Martavis Bryant has wanted out of Pittsburgh for awhile now. He's still there because Pittsburgh wasn't going to trade him until it suited them. Now that they have so many Wrs that he is almost not needed they are considering it. Players get pissed off all the time about money,coaches,playing time etc.

Mike Tomlin: Steelers won't trade Martavis Bryant despite 'distraction'
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA TODAY Sports Published 10:36 a.m. ET Oct. 24, 2017 | Updated 1:26 p.m. ET Oct. 24, 2017
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...ers/793887001/

-King- · 02-23-2018, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

if it turns out it was Hunt, the big time Trump supporter, not wanting a player over a player silently protesting..... I’ll be really pissed too.

This has nothing to do with Peters' protesting
Posted via Mobile Device

-King- · 02-23-2018, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JakeF

Just off the top of my head, Martavis Bryant has wanted out of Pittsburgh for awhile now. He's still there because Pittsburgh wasn't going to trade him until it suited them. Now that they have so many Wrs that he is almost not needed they are considering it. Players get pissed off all the time about money,coaches,playing time etc.

Mike Tomlin: Steelers won't trade Martavis Bryant despite 'distraction'
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA TODAY Sports Published 10:36 a.m. ET Oct. 24, 2017 | Updated 1:26 p.m. ET Oct. 24, 2017
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...ers/793887001/

Wanna bet he gets traded or released this off season?
Posted via Mobile Device

**Ming the Merciless** · 02-23-2018, 08:37 PM

I dont personally give a shit for 3 reasons:

1) he played like shit this season...our defense was a joke...we actually did better without him for the one game

2) he walked off the field...****ing loser...

3) the whole avoiding hits and tackles schtick was idiotic

**** him

Furthermore how can mellinger evaluate this without knowing the details? If we get a 1st rounder, im ok with this.

Our defense will probably be better next year....this will be forgotten soon. I eas way more pissed losing flowers....and thats long forgotten

JakeF · 02-23-2018, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by -King-

This has nothing to do with Peters' protesting
Posted via Mobile Device

How can it not?

Kneeling started a lot of the hostility, Hunt is a Trumpster, Fans pissed about players taking a knee are bitching which hurts Hunt's bottom line. We don't know how big of an impact it has had but it had to have some.

02-23-2018, 07:48 PM
DaFace Kind of a mod Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Donkey Land Casino cash: $2066899	Mellinger: Marcus Peters is gone. The Chiefs have some explaining to do. http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt...201907719.html Marcus Peters is gone. The Chiefs have some explaining to do. BY SAM MELLINGER smellinger@kcstar.com February 23, 2018 07:27 PM Clark Hunt, Andy Reid and Brett Veach deserve an opportunity to explain, because as it stands right now they have cloaked their franchise with failure. That word is not used without thought. That word is not used without intent. The Chiefs on Friday agreed to trade Marcus Peters to the Rams, reportedly for draft picks. Without hearing from the men who made this decision, the explanation that makes the most sense is one lacking in guts, ambition, commitment to success, and realism. A difficult situation presents itself, and the Chiefs hit the eject button. Starting with Reid being hired and paid more than any NFL coach who has not won a Super Bowl, the Chiefs have branded themselves as a place for second chances, where strong personalities are welcomed and supported. Here, then, they failed with their strongest-willed and one of their best players. This was supposed to be their edge. Let players show their personalities. Get the most out of them. Except with Peters, the Chiefs failed to do it, apparently allowing the situation to become so untenable they traded him without a strong market of interest. Again, Hunt, Reid, and Veach should be allowed to explain. This has all the markings of the Chiefs pushing Peters out, but there is always a chance the trade return was so overwhelming the Chiefs couldn’t resist. So these words are an initial reaction, not the final judgment. Still, the following is true: Peters plays one of the most important non-quarterback positions in football, creates more turnovers than anyone else in the league, and just turned 25 in January with a year left on his rookie deal plus up to three more years of club control. And he’s gone. For what? The Chiefs traded a cheap, young star at a premium position despite the limited leverage of just two teams interested. Why? For draft picks? So they have an opportunity to select Peters’ replacement? That’s not the action of a successful franchise. That’s the action of a franchise with more blown leads than wins in playoff games. One more time, maybe there is a better and more sensible explanation, but here’s what it looks like at the moment: Hunt, who cowered when given the opportunity to stand up for his players’ rights last fall, wanted the headache gone. He has been outspoken about wanting players to stand for the anthem, and talked Peters into staying in the locker room for the song. Hunt is a conservative man by nature, and it’s not a stretch to believe he wanted one of the NFL’s least conservative players off his team. Because the other explanations don’t make as much sense. The Chiefs want you to believe they are serious about winning and just traded one of their best players. The Chiefs are trying to get younger and just traded a 25-year-old star. The Chiefs’ secondary was awful last year and they just dumped (by far) their best cornerback. The Chiefs retained a defensive coordinator who was exposed in 2017, deciding it was more about a lack of talent, and just shipped off one of the league’s most productive and dangerous defenders. The Chiefs’ defense emphasizes creating turnovers, and they just traded the man who has created more turnovers than anyone else since he entered the league. The Chiefs, in other words, have a disconnected vision of their future, or no serious expectations of success this season, or both. Peters is not without his faults. Obviously. He is hyper competitive, which is his greatest strength right until the moment it becomes his greatest flaw. You don’t know when he’ll draw a personal foul, but you can expect at least a few every season. Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Marcus Peters has lost his cool or done something that has resulted in a fine several times during the 2017 season. Neil Nakahodo, Pete Grathoff, David EulittThe Kansas City Star Reid is by reputation one of the league’s great players’ coaches, and along with Terrell Owens, Peters is one of just two players Reid has suspended in 19 years. Peters’ protests during the national anthem angered a loud portion of the Chiefs’ fan base, and despite handing out turkeys and coats in Kansas City last year, the drama was never going fully away. There is little doubt he was unhappy in Kansas City. Some of this was inevitable, because the player and his adopted home were so different. Peters could have asked to be traded, but his only leverage was a threat to sit out (which would mean not being paid, and not accruing service time toward free agency) or to not sign an extension (but the Chiefs could’ve controlled him for up to four more seasons). The Chiefs were not against the clock here. They had time on their side. The Chiefs could have supported the player, could have worked with the player. They could have found common ground. They could have defended the player against unfair public criticism, if that’s what it took. Good organizations do that. The Chiefs traded the player. Organizations whose last Super Bowl appearance is old enough to be a grandfather do that. One more time for the people in the back: Hunt, Reid, and Veach deserve the opportunity to explain. Chiefs fans deserve that, too. Maybe there is something that brings it all together. But at the moment, only two explanations come to mind that make more sense than Hunt wanting the player out. The first is that Peters had somehow become such a problem that he was breaking the locker room, and the organization made the advance decision to deal him now before he made more money and his trade value slipped. That would have to account for the Chiefs players upset by the trade, require something much worse than what’s known so far, and be a tacit admission of failure by a coach hired in part because of his ability to get the best out of strong personalities. The second apparent explanation would be that the Chiefs are fully embracing a rebuild, and selling off all valuable parts while they reset around quarterback Patrick Mahomes. If that’s the case, then more big trades should be expected. There are varied holes in this logic, too, from the Chiefs having a good roster already to the NFL’s established history of teams winning with quarterbacks on rookie contracts. But, at least it would be something. At least it would be something that didn’t leave the sinking suspicion that the Chiefs just caved to the ugliest parts of their fan base and the weakest part of human nature by avoiding discomfort even as it sets them back competitively.
Posts: 51,749

02-23-2018, 08:25 PM	#34
Mecca Hockey Town Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Kansas City, Missouri Casino cash: $2657050	Peters has made a total of 7 million dollars he's in no position to hold out.
Posts: 110,768

02-23-2018, 08:27 PM	#35
MVChiefFan Veteran Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Here Casino cash: $1644975	I’ll say this, if there have been a lot of behind the scenes stuff, and the whole team is sick of him and glad he’s gone, then fine. But, if it comes out that it was just strictly CHunt being a spineless, whiney, selfish turd that was just disappointed in him, it’s going to really infuriate me. __________________ I haven’t slept for ten days straight… because that would be way too long.
Posts: 3,473	1 0

02-23-2018, 08:37 PM	#44
Ming the Merciless Emporer of Mongo Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Milky Way Casino cash: $2987556	I dont personally give a shit for 3 reasons: 1) he played like shit this season...our defense was a joke...we actually did better without him for the one game 2) he walked off the field...**ing loser... 3) the whole avoiding hits and tackles schtick was idiotic him Furthermore how can mellinger evaluate this without knowing the details? If we get a 1st rounder, im ok with this. Our defense will probably be better next year....this will be forgotten soon. I eas way more pissed losing flowers....and thats long forgotten __________________ ---- 2018 Adopt-A-Chief : Chris Conley 2017 Adopt-A-Chief : FRANK ZOMBO Click here-->The Holy Chiefsplanet Lexicon ***
Posts: 44,480	2 0