La Canfora On John Dorsey's Firing
- Chiefs ownership fired general manager John Dorsey in part over concerns about how he presented himself, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. Dorsey is “more comfortable in a sweatshirt than a suit and tie,” writes La Canfora, leading to questions over whether he was corporate enough for chairman Clark Hunt’s liking. Despite that, there were no indications Dorsey was in over his head in the role – the team did go 43-21 with him at the helm, after all – and one agent told La Canfora: “He’s wily. He’s guile. He plays like he doesn’t know, but he knows. He’s creative in his approach to negotiations and he can be strong willed when he has to be. He’s a very smart negotiator. He’s going to get another job, I’m sure, and he’ll show why he is one of the best GMs in the league. He already has to be one of the top evaluators in the game.” Like that agent, La Canfora doesn’t expect Dorsey to go without a job for long, but he also doesn’t see him rushing into a lesser role than the one he just had.
Brett Veach, Louis Riddick Favorites For Chiefs GM?
Although the Chiefs are interviewing Titans director of player personnel Ryan Cowden today, he’s not currently the frontrunner for the Kansas City vacancy, Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com reports. Instead, Chiefs co-director of player personnel Brett Veach and ESPN commentator Louis Riddick are considered the “strongest candidates” for the job, per McCormick. Indeed, a “growing belief” exists around the league that Veach will end up being promoted, tweets Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star.
Given that head coach Andy Reid is now “running the show” in Kansas City following the firing of ex-GM John Dorsey, familiarity with Reid seems to be playing an integral role in the club’s general manager search. Veach, of course, has worked with Reid with the Chiefs and also spent time with him in Philadelphia. Riddick, too, has a relationship with Reid based on the pair’s time with the Eagles.
The Chiefs are expected to interview Veach, whose name was tossed out during the Bills GM hunt, at some point this week. Riddick, meanwhile, is a candidate for the Kansas City despite his public denial. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported Monday that the Chiefs have reached out to Riddick’s representation, but perhaps not Riddick himself.
As our Chiefs GM Search Tracker shows, Cowden, Veach, and Riddick are three of six candidates who have been linked to the Chiefs’ vacancy. Seahawks co-director of player personnel Scott Fitterer will interview this week, Chiefs co-director of player personnel Mike Borgonzi has been mentioned as a contender, and Vikings assistant general manager George Paton declined an interview.
Chiefs To Interview Scott Fitterer This Week
The Chiefs will interview Seahawks executive Scott Fitterer for their general manager position either today or early Wednesday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Fitterer, Seattle’s co-director of player personnel, is one of six candidates linked to the Kansas City vacancy (a total that includes the Vikings’ George Paton, who declined an interview). Earlier this year, Fitterer was an initial candidate for the 49ers’ GM job, but ultimately was not asked back for a second interview. Another candidate for the Chiefs gig — Tennessee staffer Ryan Cowden — will meet with Kansas City tomorrow, as Rapoport indicated earlier today.
Chiefs Notes: GM Search, Hali, Dorsey
Here’s a look at the Chiefs:
- It’s clear that coach Andy Reid is running the Chiefs organization based on the names that have come up early in the team’s GM search, Tom Pelissero of USA Today tweets. Pelissero’s comment came after KC requested an interview with George Paton, though the Viking assistant GM turned down the opportunity to be considered. Pelissero rightly notes that Paton should be in the running again for GM jobs in January. By that point, there could be better jobs available.
- The Chiefs’ interview with Titans Director of Player Personnel Ryan Cowden will take place on Wednesday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Cowden is one of a handful of outside names to come up in the Chiefs’ GM search. To keep track of all candidates under consideration in Kansas City, check out PFR’s Chiefs GM search tracker.
- Count Chiefs veteran linebacker Tamba Hali among those who were not pleased with the firing of GM John Dorsey, as Conor Orr of NFL.com writes. “From a subjective opinion, I wasn’t too pleased,” Hali said on NFL Network. “I’m really fond of John. Mr. Dorsey, he’s done a tremendous job since he’s been with the organization so everything that happened the past week really caught a lot of us off guard. But I’m sure the Hunt family knows exactly what they’re doing with the re-signing of our coach Andy Reid. I think everything will be fine but Mr. Dorsey will be missed with the Chiefs.” Hali, who has been with the Chiefs since being drafted by the team in 2006, is under contract with the team for two more seasons.
- Despite his denials, it sounds like ESPN’s Louis Riddick is in the running for the Chiefs’ GM job.
Louis Riddick Is Candidate For Chiefs GM
ESPN commentator and former NFL executive Louis Riddick is a candidate for the Chiefs general manager position despite his denial on Sunday, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Although Kansas City didn’t contact Riddick himself — meaning his denial was technically accurate — a source tells Florio the club has indeed reached out to Riddick’s representation.
[RELATED: Chiefs GM Search Tracker]
Several reasons may have lead Riddick to issue his public denial, Florio speculates. For one, Riddick may not have communicated the Chiefs’ interest to his employers at ESPN, which could potentially complicate matters. Second, ESPN’s reporters may have been disappointed they didn’t land the Riddick news given that he’s currently employed at the network (Ian Rapoport of NFL.com initially reported Kansas City’s interest in Riddick).
A candidate for the 49ers’ GM job earlier this year, Riddick has worked at ESPN for nearly four years. Prior to becoming an analyst, Riddick served in the Redskins and Eagles personnel departments. The 48-year-old played for the 49ers, Falcons, and Browns during his NFL career.
Riddick is the fifth candidate to be linked to the Chiefs vacancy, joining incumbent co-directors of player personnel Mike Borgonzi and Brett Veach, Titans director of player personnel Ryan Cowden, and Seahawks co-director of player personnel Scott Fitterer.
Chiefs GM Search Tracker
The Chiefs surprised everyone last week by firing GM John Dorsey. The timing of the move was puzzling, to say the least, since Dorsey already called the shots during the important stages of free agency and the draft.
Coach Andy Reid, who finalized a multi-year extension just minutes before the Dorsey news was announced, may or may not have played a role in the team’s GM change. And although the team press release indicated that the parting of ways was mutual, the call was actually made unilaterally by owner Clark Hunt. Hunt apparently grew tired of Dorsey’s easy-going demeanor and lack of internal communication, particularly since that did not jibe with the way Reid conducts himself.
The Chiefs will be looking at both internal and external candidates to fill the vacancy. Here’s an up-to-date list of the names involved in the search:
- Brett Veach, Co-director of player personnel (Chiefs): Hired
- Mike Borgonzi, Co-director of player personnel (Chiefs): Expected to be interviewed
- Ryan Cowden, Director of Player Personnel (Titans): Interview requested
- Scott Fitterer, Co-director of player personnel (Seahawks): Interview requested
- George Paton, Assistant GM (Vikings): Turned down interview
- Louis Riddick, TV analyst: Denies report saying he’s been contacted by Chiefs, says he is not interested in job
Chiefs Request Interviews With Two Execs
The Chiefs have requested permission to speak with Titans Director of Player Personnel Ryan Cowden and Seahawks co-director of player personnel Scott Fitterer for their GM job, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). If permission is granted, then the executives will become the first outside candidates to interview for the vacancy.
On Monday morning, we learned that Vikings executive George Paton declined the opportunity to be considered for the Chiefs job. In theory, that means that Cowden and Fitterer will have a little less competition for the position, provided that they are actually looking to take the job.
Fitterer has been in the mix for multiple GM jobs, including the Colts and 49ers earlier this year. He was also being considered for a top job with the Eagles before removing himself from consideration. The Seahawks have enjoyed great success in recent years, particularly when it comes to building through the draft and discovering talented undrafted free agents. While John Schneider oversees the operation, Fitterer and Trent Kirchner have been instrumental in building the roster.
After 16 years with the Panthers, Cowden was hired by the Titans in 2016 to oversee all areas of the scouting department, including collegiate scouting, NFL scouting, advance scouting, and international scouting for the draft, free agency, and upcoming opponents. Titans GM Jon Robinson offered glowing praise of Cowden at the time of the hire.
“When I was first hired by the Patriots, Ryan was promoted by Carolina to handle the Southeast and we cut our teeth together in that region scouting,” Robinson said. “We were both learning the ropes, going to many of the same places and had a lot of interaction through the years on the road. He has a strong eye for talent, he has developed good managerial skills over the years and in the team-building process it will be nice to get his take, as they have put together very good teams there in Carolina over the years.”
Details On Chiefs’ Firing Of John Dorsey
There have been some apparent issues with the Chiefs’ front office in recent years, including the team’s salary cap woes. However, it sounds like suspect cap management was not the main impetus for the Chiefs firing former GM John Dorsey, based on what Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star writes. 
[RELATED: Chiefs To Interview In-House Candidate This Week]
Owner Clark Hunt’s decision to can Dorsey was fueled, in part, by concerns about his lack of internal communication and management style, Paylor hears from multiple sources with knowledge of the situation. While observers believed that Dorsey and coach Andy Reid were working harmoniously together, the two men also had different approaches to their jobs and that apparently led to some friction. Reid is known for being process-oriented and regimented while Dorsey has a more casual demeanor.
“He’s not a big disciplinarian or big on chain of command,” one source said, “so people did what they wanted.”
For example, Dorsey made the sole decision to fire director of football administration Trip MacCracken and director of pro scouting Will Lewis. Both men were with the team for at least four years and, apparently, others in the building were not clear on why they were canned.
Paylor’s report gives us some insight as to why Dorsey was fired, but it does little to explain the timing of it all. Had the Chiefs made this decision in January, they could have promoted Chris Ballard to the top job before allowing him to accept the Colts’ offer. Instead, they allowed Dorsey to oversee the most important parts of the offseason and fired him at a time when all of the best outside candidates are already spoken for.
Chiefs To Interview Brett Veach This Week
Chiefs owner Clark Hunt is expected to interview co-director of player personnel Brett Veach this week, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Veach has been identified as an early frontrunner for the job.
[RELATED: Vikings’ George Paton Turns Down Chiefs Interview]
Last week, Rapoport reported that Veach is the name to watch in the team’s GM search. Veach goes way back with Andy Reid, having served as his assistant with the Eagles. The exec has also gotten lots of face time with Hunt in recent years and has been highly regarded by the organization. Veach has come up as a GM candidate before, having been linked to the Bills’ vacancy earlier this year.
Veach’s fellow co-director of playr personnel, Mike Borgonzi, has also been mentioned as a leading in-house candidate. There’s no word yet on when or if he will get an interview, but logic dictates that he will also be interviewed by Hunt & Co. in the coming days.
Vikings’ George Paton Turns Down Chiefs
The Chiefs’ GM search is underway and the team was hoping to pencil in Vikings assistant GM George Paton for an interview. However, “for a variety of reasons,” he has declined the opportunity, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
Paton was a GM candidate for the Colts and 49ers openings before those jobs went to Chris Ballard and John Lynch, respectively. He has long been viewed as a rising front office name, so he likely feels that he can be selective about GM offers. One has to wonder if Paton has turned down the Chiefs because of the dysfunction going on in Kansas City. The Chiefs made the unusual decision of firing John Dorsey in June, long after the conclusion of the draft and the most important stages of free agency. Dorsey’s dismissal likely came after some in-fighting and poor communication and that’s not particularly appealing for a young front office man like Paton.
Paton completed his tenth season with the Vikings in 2016. Prior to that, he had experience elsewhere in the NFL including stops with the Bears and Dolphins.