FringeNC
01-20-2006, 08:03 PM
Who is Dick Vermeil going to side with? Also, interesting tidbit that Fassel was a serious candidate.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/football/nfl/01/20/bc.fbn.petersonresponds.ap/
'I'm telling you he wasn't'
Peterson: I never promised Chiefs job to Saunders
Posted: Friday January 20, 2006 6:28PM; Updated: Friday January 20, 2006 6:28PM
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Kansas City Chiefs president Carl Peterson contacted media outlets Friday and angrily denied reports that he once promised to make Al Saunders his head coach.
Saunders, the coordinator of a Kansas City offense that led the NFL the past five years in total yards and touchdowns, was rejected for the Chiefs' top coaching job this month and has since been hired to head the offense of the Washington Redskins.
Several media outlets reported that two years ago Saunders was promised, or at least led to believe, that he would be head coach when Dick Vermeil retired. Saunders at that time chose to stay with Kansas City and rejected an offer to become head coach at Nebraska.
Vermeil retired at the end of the 2005 season.
"Al Saunders was never promised the head coaching job of the Kansas City Chiefs," Peterson said in a hastily organized conference call with reporters from the Kansas City Star and The Associated Press. "I'm telling you he wasn't. I really take offense that's in the paper as true. It's not."
Passed over for Peterson's old friend Herman Edwards, Saunders interviewed for several head coaching positions, including with Minnesota, Detroit, Houston and Oakland. On Thursday, he agreed to a $2 million offer from Washington for a still-untitled position running the Redskins' offense.
Peterson asked reporters where they got the idea that Saunders was promised the head coaching job with the Chiefs. Told that information was confidential, he urged reporters to ask Saunders directly where the idea may have come from.
He said Vermeil and Saunders were the only people in the room with him when the subject of Vermeil's successor was discussed two years ago and that all he promised Saunders was that he would be given full consideration.
"Dick will verify that, and Al should," Peterson said.
Saunders was at his old office in Arrowhead Stadium on Friday, but calls seeking comment were not returned.
Peterson said he could not have promised Saunders the job two years ago because he has a responsibility to get the best possible candidate and because of the NFL's diversity requirements.
"There's no way I could promise him that because we have a very important diversity policy in the NFL. I support it. Al knew I was going to pursue that policy as well as anything else to find the best candidate for the Kansas City Chiefs."
The only promises made to Saunders, Peterson said, "were that he would be considered and interviewed when Dick Vermeil stepped away."
At the time, Vermeil's plans were unclear, Peterson said.
"Two years ago I didn't know when Dick was going to step away. I don't think Dick did either."
Saunders was the first candidate Peterson interviewed this month. He declined to specify why he chose Edwards.
"There are a lot of reasons, some of which I will not get into. But very candidly, when the opportunity came available that Herm Edwards was the guy I could possibly get, that was without question my first choice. Herm is a guy who knows both offense and defense and the entire football team. And he's had five years of head coaching experience. It was an easy decision for me when I could work out compensation with the New York Jets."
The Chiefs managed to persuade the Jets to give up Edwards, who was still under contract, for a fourth-round draft pick. If reasonable compensation had not been worked out, Peterson said, his list would have been narrowed to Saunders and Jim Fassel, offensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens.
Copyright 2005 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/football/nfl/01/20/bc.fbn.petersonresponds.ap/
'I'm telling you he wasn't'
Peterson: I never promised Chiefs job to Saunders
Posted: Friday January 20, 2006 6:28PM; Updated: Friday January 20, 2006 6:28PM
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Kansas City Chiefs president Carl Peterson contacted media outlets Friday and angrily denied reports that he once promised to make Al Saunders his head coach.
Saunders, the coordinator of a Kansas City offense that led the NFL the past five years in total yards and touchdowns, was rejected for the Chiefs' top coaching job this month and has since been hired to head the offense of the Washington Redskins.
Several media outlets reported that two years ago Saunders was promised, or at least led to believe, that he would be head coach when Dick Vermeil retired. Saunders at that time chose to stay with Kansas City and rejected an offer to become head coach at Nebraska.
Vermeil retired at the end of the 2005 season.
"Al Saunders was never promised the head coaching job of the Kansas City Chiefs," Peterson said in a hastily organized conference call with reporters from the Kansas City Star and The Associated Press. "I'm telling you he wasn't. I really take offense that's in the paper as true. It's not."
Passed over for Peterson's old friend Herman Edwards, Saunders interviewed for several head coaching positions, including with Minnesota, Detroit, Houston and Oakland. On Thursday, he agreed to a $2 million offer from Washington for a still-untitled position running the Redskins' offense.
Peterson asked reporters where they got the idea that Saunders was promised the head coaching job with the Chiefs. Told that information was confidential, he urged reporters to ask Saunders directly where the idea may have come from.
He said Vermeil and Saunders were the only people in the room with him when the subject of Vermeil's successor was discussed two years ago and that all he promised Saunders was that he would be given full consideration.
"Dick will verify that, and Al should," Peterson said.
Saunders was at his old office in Arrowhead Stadium on Friday, but calls seeking comment were not returned.
Peterson said he could not have promised Saunders the job two years ago because he has a responsibility to get the best possible candidate and because of the NFL's diversity requirements.
"There's no way I could promise him that because we have a very important diversity policy in the NFL. I support it. Al knew I was going to pursue that policy as well as anything else to find the best candidate for the Kansas City Chiefs."
The only promises made to Saunders, Peterson said, "were that he would be considered and interviewed when Dick Vermeil stepped away."
At the time, Vermeil's plans were unclear, Peterson said.
"Two years ago I didn't know when Dick was going to step away. I don't think Dick did either."
Saunders was the first candidate Peterson interviewed this month. He declined to specify why he chose Edwards.
"There are a lot of reasons, some of which I will not get into. But very candidly, when the opportunity came available that Herm Edwards was the guy I could possibly get, that was without question my first choice. Herm is a guy who knows both offense and defense and the entire football team. And he's had five years of head coaching experience. It was an easy decision for me when I could work out compensation with the New York Jets."
The Chiefs managed to persuade the Jets to give up Edwards, who was still under contract, for a fourth-round draft pick. If reasonable compensation had not been worked out, Peterson said, his list would have been narrowed to Saunders and Jim Fassel, offensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens.
Copyright 2005 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.