Covitz: VD has high praise for Green

booger · 06-05-2007, 11:09 PM

Vermeil has high praise for Green
By RANDY COVITZ
The Kansas City Star

Dick Vermeil (left) on getting Trent Green: “It was, I think, one of the finest trades the Kansas City Chiefs ever made.” Former Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil, who brought quarterback Trent Green to Kansas City in 2001, was sorry to see him depart for a second-day draft pick.

“Somewhere in the National Football League, there has got to be a way, whether it be in Kansas City, New York, St. Louis, Seattle, where a great player who has done all the right things gets to finish his career within that community and organization,” Vermeil said Tuesday night from his Pennsylvania home after hearing Green was traded to Miami for a conditional fifth-round draft choice.

“Many times you lead players to believe that’s going to happen, but it doesn’t happen. That’s not just in Kansas City … Joe Montana didn’t finish his career in San Francisco.”

After the Chiefs hired Vermeil in 2001, they sent a first-round draft pick to Vermeil’s former team, the St. Louis Rams, for Green. Although Green missed out on the Rams’ 1999 Super Bowl season after suffering a season-ending knee injury during a preseason game, Vermeil made him the centerpiece of the Chiefs’ offense in Kansas City.

Green finished his career second only to Hall of Famer Len Dawson in Chiefs history in completions (1,720), yards (21,459) and TD passes (118).

“His contribution to the franchise went beyond my expectations,” Vermeil said. “I only got to coach him through one offseason and one preseason (in St. Louis), and I had a great feeling that he would be a great quarterback.

“When he came to Kansas City, he truly demonstrated what he could do, especially in the first year when he did not have a supporting cast as a receiver corps. He battled, and we built as good an offense as there was in the National Football League, and it all centered around him, being able to do what we do with the football. He did a tremendous job.

“And then you take what he did on the field, and magnify what credibility he brought off the field, into the locker room, out in the community as a person, and as a leader, it was, I think, one of the finest trades the Kansas City Chiefs ever made.”

Although Green will be 37 in July and is coming off a season in which he missed eight starts because of a concussion, Vermeil believes Green has a couple of good years left in him.

“I just watched their mini-camp practice on Sunday night,” Vermeil said of NFL Network’s coverage of the Chiefs’ minicamp, “and I watched him on the practice field for two days in December last year when I came in to broadcast the Raiders game, and he looked like Trent Green always looked.

“I think he can play at least two more real good years, if he has a good supporting cast.”

06-05-2007, 11:09 PM	Topic Starter
booger Don't Tug on Superman's Cape Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: clear out in the sticks Casino cash: $1268550	Covitz: VD has high praise for Green Vermeil has high praise for Green By RANDY COVITZ The Kansas City Star Dick Vermeil (left) on getting Trent Green: “It was, I think, one of the finest trades the Kansas City Chiefs ever made.” Former Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil, who brought quarterback Trent Green to Kansas City in 2001, was sorry to see him depart for a second-day draft pick. “Somewhere in the National Football League, there has got to be a way, whether it be in Kansas City, New York, St. Louis, Seattle, where a great player who has done all the right things gets to finish his career within that community and organization,” Vermeil said Tuesday night from his Pennsylvania home after hearing Green was traded to Miami for a conditional fifth-round draft choice. “Many times you lead players to believe that’s going to happen, but it doesn’t happen. That’s not just in Kansas City … Joe Montana didn’t finish his career in San Francisco.” After the Chiefs hired Vermeil in 2001, they sent a first-round draft pick to Vermeil’s former team, the St. Louis Rams, for Green. Although Green missed out on the Rams’ 1999 Super Bowl season after suffering a season-ending knee injury during a preseason game, Vermeil made him the centerpiece of the Chiefs’ offense in Kansas City. Green finished his career second only to Hall of Famer Len Dawson in Chiefs history in completions (1,720), yards (21,459) and TD passes (118). “His contribution to the franchise went beyond my expectations,” Vermeil said. “I only got to coach him through one offseason and one preseason (in St. Louis), and I had a great feeling that he would be a great quarterback. “When he came to Kansas City, he truly demonstrated what he could do, especially in the first year when he did not have a supporting cast as a receiver corps. He battled, and we built as good an offense as there was in the National Football League, and it all centered around him, being able to do what we do with the football. He did a tremendous job. “And then you take what he did on the field, and magnify what credibility he brought off the field, into the locker room, out in the community as a person, and as a leader, it was, I think, one of the finest trades the Kansas City Chiefs ever made.” Although Green will be 37 in July and is coming off a season in which he missed eight starts because of a concussion, Vermeil believes Green has a couple of good years left in him. “I just watched their mini-camp practice on Sunday night,” Vermeil said of NFL Network’s coverage of the Chiefs’ minicamp, “and I watched him on the practice field for two days in December last year when I came in to broadcast the Raiders game, and he looked like Trent Green always looked. “I think he can play at least two more real good years, if he has a good supporting cast.”
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