NFL Network show provides rare peek into Chiefs’ draft room 20 years ago

[Deberg_1990]

You want to see some real drama in the Chiefs’ draft room?


Check out “Caught in the Draft” at 8 Wednesday night on NFL Network.

The NFL Films video is 20 years old — or since the Chiefs last won a playoff game — but the segment of never-before-seen footage captures the debate the club had before making its first-round selection in the 1994 draft.

The Chiefs were coming off the 1993 season when quarterback Joe Montana guided the club to the AFC Championship Game, where it lost at Buffalo. The Chiefs still thought they needed some offense to help the Derrick Thomas-led defense, and a youthful-looking general manager Carl Peterson and head coach Marty Schottenheimer zeroed in on three running backs.

William Floyd of Florida State.

Mario Bates of Arizona State.

Greg Hill of Texas A&M.

Peterson: “Who you want in that group with the 25th pick?”

Schottenheimer: “Greg Hill.”

The Chiefs’ scouts had given Bates a slightly better grade than Hill, but Bates was coming off a knee injury.

“I prefer Hill,” Schottenheimer said with less 4 minutes on the clock.

“Are there any questions about this guy’s character?” Schottenheimer asked Peterson. “Greg Hill is a tough S.O.B. and a good football player. I’m not so sure about the other guy, but I don’t know the other guy …”

Lynn Stiles, then the club’s vice president of player personnel, interjected: “If Mario Bates hadn’t got hurt, we wouldn’t be talking …”

Ninety seconds remained. Owner Lamar Hunt has a worried look on his face.

“The only difference is their size,” Schottenheimer said of Hill, a 5-11, 205-pounder who would complement veteran Marcus Allen, and Bates, who was 6 feet 1, 217 pounds.

“I want Greg Hill.”

With 30 seconds left on the clock, Peterson gave the word to Mike Davidson, the Chiefs’ equipment manager who was on the phone in New York where he would turn in the card to the NFL.

“Greg Hill,” Peterson told him.

The Chiefs’ top four picks in that draft were all offensive players to help Montana in the West Coast offense — fullback Donnell Bennett of Miami was taken in the second round, and wide receivers Lake Dawson and Chris Penn in the third round.

None had distinguished careers, though Bennett hung around the longest, leading the club in rushing in 1998 with 527 yards and in 1999 with 627.

Bates would be selected in the second round, with the 44th overall pick by New Orleans.

Hill turned out to be a disappointment with the Chiefs.

He did lead the club in rushing with 550 yards in 1997, the year Schottenheimer anointed him as “The Real Deal” after a season-opening loss at Denver, but that would be his last season in Kansas City. In four seasons with the Chiefs, he rushed for 2,436 yards and six touchdowns.

Hill finished his career with one season at Detroit and one at St. Louis and totaled 3,218 rushing yards in his career. Bates spent seven seasons in the league with three teams, rushing for 3,048 yards.

And Floyd, the fullback taken by San Francisco with the 28th — and final — pick of the first round of the 1994 draft, would help the 49ers win the Super Bowl in 1994 and go to the playoffs the next three years, including the 1997 NFC championship game.

Montana would retire after the Chiefs lost a first-round playoff game to Miami in 1994.

The Chiefs haven’t won a playoff game since 1993.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2014/04/28/4987080/espn-show-provides-rare-peek-into.html#storylink=cpy

[OnTheWarpath15]

LOL.

They wanted offense, but IIRC, Issac Bruce went like 5 picks later.

[chiefs1111]

LOL.

They wanted offense, but IIRC, Issac Bruce went like 5 picks later.

Typical Chiefs

[Deberg_1990]

None of the guys the Chiefs wanted turned out to be much.
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[htismaqe]

IIRC, Greg Hill had a couple of near 200-yard games after leaving KC but blew out an appendage shortly after each one...

[keg in kc]

It's like watching a car wreck.

[htismaqe]

Yep. He started for St. Louis the year after he left KC. He started the first two games and in game 2, he had 19 rushes for 158 yards and 2 TDs. Blew out a knee and ended up getting cut at the end of the year.

Went to Detroit in 1999 and wasn't the same.

[Deberg_1990]

IIRC, Greg Hill had a couple of near 200-yard games after leaving KC but blew out an appendage shortly after each one...

I remember that. With the Rams.
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[Titty Meat]

LOL.

They wanted offense, but IIRC, Issac Bruce went like 5 picks later.

Derrick Alexander did.

Issac Bruce was 33rd overall.

Charlie Garner who was better than all those rbs mentioned also was drafted in the 2nd round.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Derrick Alexander did.

Issac Bruce was 33rd overall.

Charlie Garner who was better than all those rbs mentioned also was drafted in the 2nd round.

Eh, missed by a couple of picks.

[BullJunkandIron]

If it wasn't for those phantom tacklers, touch tackles and just flat out going down from a slight breeze Hill would of been an almost average back.

[TRR]

I couldn't understand why you are not buttoned up on your first round pick? You don't have RBs stack-ranked? They are still popping in video of the 2 or 3 RBs they are about to take. It seemed very disorganized and full of emotion instead of trusting the prep work and your board.
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[BossChief]

I couldn't understand why you are not buttoned up on your first round pick? You don't have RBs stack-ranked? They are still popping in video of the 2 or 3 RBs they are about to take. It seemed very disorganized and full of emotion instead of trusting the prep work and your board.
Posted via Mobile Device

You seem surprised.

[Coochie liquor]

I couldn't understand why you are not buttoned up on your first round pick? You don't have RBs stack-ranked? They are still popping in video of the 2 or 3 RBs they are about to take. It seemed very disorganized and full of emotion instead of trusting the prep work and your board.
Posted via Mobile Device

I felt the same. You'd think by that point it would be a set in stone. Here's who's left, here's the bpa at the position you want. Boom.

[htismaqe]

If it wasn't for those phantom tacklers, touch tackles and just flat out going down from a slight breeze Hill would of been an almost average back.

He averaged 4.2ypc for his career, a full half yard better than Donnell Bennett and the other garbage they trotted out there during Marcus Allen's twilight years.'

He wasn't a good 1st round draft pick but he was far from a bad player. He actually performed better than Allen at times.

Marty just couldn't stand the idea of utilizing 1 running back exclusively. He believed in running two backs as much as possible.

[BigRedChief]

History says Bruce would have been a better pick but what was being said at the time? He did go to 3 different colleges and Memphis was the top school when they sucked.

I hated King Carl as much as anybody. That year was one of our best chances at a Super Bowl since Lenny the cool. To be deciding, really deciding up to just 30 seconds before the deadline is telling.

[BigRedChief]

Peterson: “Who you want in that group with the 25th pick?”

Schottenheimer: “Greg Hill.”

Marty's wife high 5's her girlfriend.

[Rain Man]

Greg Hill looked really good, but he could never get any playing time.

In the four seasons that they played on the same team in KC, Marcus Allen averaged 4.04 yards per carry on 726 carries and Greg Hill averaged 4.14 on 588 carries. Hill was slightly more productive running. In fairness, Allen had a lot more receptions and I suspect was the better pass protector, but Hill had the greater upside and never really got a chance to be the main guy to prove it. Marty liked his veterans.

[KcMizzou]

Greg Hill looked really good, but he could never get any playing time.

In the four seasons that they played on the same team in KC, Marcus Allen averaged 4.04 yards per carry on 726 carries and Greg Hill averaged 4.14 on 588 carries. Hill was slightly more productive running. In fairness, Allen had a lot more receptions and I suspect was the better pass protector, but Hill had the greater upside and never really got a chance to be the main guy to prove it. Marty liked his veterans.Didn't Hill go to somewhere (St. Louis?) and tear it up for a while? And then wrecked his knee.

[Rausch]

Greg Hill looked really good, but he could never get any playing time.

In the four seasons that they played on the same team in KC, Marcus Allen averaged 4.04 yards per carry on 726 carries and Greg Hill averaged 4.14 on 588 carries. Hill was slightly more productive running. In fairness, Allen had a lot more receptions and I suspect was the better pass protector, but Hill had the greater upside and never really got a chance to be the main guy to prove it. Marty liked his veterans.

Hill was a legit talent and a threat to break a big run on any play.

I agree that he was the better choice.

I still remember the game vs. GB where he tore it the fuck up. He had one huge rec. of like 60+ yards that he located and caught downfield.

His talent was there, his exit from KC was very odd to say the least, and if not for injury he may have beasted out with the Rams...

[KcMizzou]

Hill was a legit talent and a threat to break a big run on any play.

I agree that he was the better choice.

I still remember the game vs. GB where he tore it the fuck up. He had one huge rec. of like 60+ yards that he located and caught downfield.

His talent was there, his exit from KC was very odd to say the least, and if not for injury he may have beasted out with the Rams...There it is.

[Rausch]

Didn't Hill go to somewhere (St. Louis?) and tear it up for a while? And then wrecked his knee.

Yup.

IIRC he never came back from that injury. He still floated around the league but was just never himself.

It's amazing how much medicine/surgery progressed in just 10 years...

[KcMizzou]

Yup.

IIRC he never came back from that injury. He still floated around the league but was just never himself.

It's amazing how much medicine/surgery progressed in just 10 years...So true. Look at a guy like Henry Josey...

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Dialog sounds straight out of draft day

[Baby Lee]

Broke his leg in St. Louis, folks. Not blew out knee.

[Simply Red]

Derrick Alexander - give me a break. ROFL. We have a history or 'could be's' or could have beens...

Ugh what a joke, even then.

[Deberg_1990]

Hill was a legit talent and a threat to break a big run on any play.

I agree that he was the better choice.

I still remember the game vs. GB where he tore it the **** up. He had one huge rec. of like 60+ yards that he located and caught downfield.

His talent was there, his exit from KC was very odd to say the least, and if not for injury he may have beasted out with the Rams...

Hill was ok. I remember him being a very easy tackle. He would go down easily, didnt have great balance.

[Dayze]

He's no Pat Dennis or Willliam Bartee.

[WhawhaWhat]

Derrick Alexander - give me a break. ROFL. We have a history or 'could be's' or could have beens...

Ugh what a joke, even then.

Johnnie Morton was in the same draft.

[htismaqe]

There it is.

Just look back through the thread a few posts, numbskull. :D

[htismaqe]

Derrick Alexander - give me a break. ROFL. We have a history or 'could be's' or could have beens...

Ugh what a joke, even then.

Derrick Alexander had two 1000-yard receiving seasons and 16.6ypc (best in Ravens history) in Baltimore before he ever came to KC.

He came 9 yards shy of notching a 1400-yard season in KC in 2000. That's a Chiefs record.

[Deberg_1990]

Derrick Alexander had two 1000-yard receiving seasons and 16.6ypc (best in Ravens history) in Baltimore before he ever came to KC.

He came 9 yards shy of notching a 1400-yard season in KC in 2000. That's a Chiefs record.

He was one of the most purely talented WRs the Chiefs have had in the past 20-25 years for sure.

He also was one of those guys who dropped routine catches. I also sort of remember him as a garbage time "pad the stats" player.

[Baby Lee]

In hindsight, Larry Allen is the one that hurts. But there was a ton of retarded T drafting that year.

[htismaqe]

What really hurt about the Greg Hill pick was that they had just spent a 1st rounder on Harvey Williams 3 years earlier.

Marty refused to play him and he went on to the Raiders and notched a couple of 1000-yard seasons.

Meanwhile back in KC, Marty insisted on drafting Greg Hill only to do the EXACT SAME THING with Hill that he did with Williams.

I think Marty always dreamed of repeating the Mack/Byner thing. I think that's still the only team in NFL history to have two 1000-yard rushers on the same team.

[Marcellus]

What really hurt about the Greg Hill pick was that they had just spent a 1st rounder on Harvey Williams 3 years earlier.

Marty refused to play him and he went on to the Raiders and notched a couple of 1000-yard seasons.

Meanwhile back in KC, Marty insisted on drafting Greg Hill only to do the EXACT SAME THING with Hill that he did with Williams.

I think Marty always dreamed of repeating the Mack/Byner thing. I think that's still the only team in NFL history to have two 1000-yard rushers on the same team.

Its happened 6 times. Here is a link to a thread about it.

http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?t=236120

[Prison Bitch]

“I want Greg Hill's girlfriend.”



Actual quote.

[htismaqe]

Its happened 6 times. Here is a link to a thread about it.

http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?t=236120

Very interesting.

Csonka and Morris went undefeated. Both Harris/Bleier and Mack/Byner lost in the AFC championship game.

The 3 modern teams to do it didn't win a single playoff game between them. The Falcons and Panthers failed to even qualify for the playoffs.

Think Marty espoused an outdated brand of football?

:hmmm:

[milkman]

What is interesting to me from that video is there wasn't any trade discussion.