Chiefs: The Peters Prognosis

The Kansas City Chiefs find themselves in an potentially precarious position. They posses one of the better cornerbacks in the league — over the past three years — yet their defensive backfield just played arguably their best game of the year. If you’re within shouting distance of Kansas City Sports radio then you may already be aware that the subject of Marcus Peters presence on the team has been one of the hottest topics this season. Before the team jumps into what some have called the most important regular season game of head coach Andy Reid’s tenure in K.C. — tomorrow evening at Arrowhead vs the San Angeles Chargers — Doctor Morse will give you the prescription for the Peters prognosis… free of charge.

A week ago last Sunday, near the end of the game, with the game on the line, the Chiefs cornerback, Marcus Peters, took out his frustration on the referee by picking up his flag and heaving it into the stands. We’ve seen this kind of behavior before… like when TE Travis Kelce took his own towel and threw it at a referee after being flagged on a play in which Kelce did have a bit of a point to make because the call could easily have been contested. In Peters situation, the call was more obvious and it wasn’t even on him. Now, I have to tip my hat to Andy Reid on this kind of behavior because I can see that these two Chiefs players are probably the two most passionate on the team and you don’t want to squash that kind of spiritedness.

Beyond that, this is not Marcus Peters’ first Looney Tunes animation. He has also been known to punt a football into the stands at a time when the Chiefs were not in punting formation. And, that happened more than once.

However, that’s not what got him in deep doo doo with his head coach… enough to get suspended for the game last weekend vs the Raiders. That would be because, after Peters pitched the ref’s little yellow flag into Neverland, he then pranced of the field believing that he was ejected from the game… even though he was being told by a teammate that he was not ejected.

Peters consequently missed the next play but returned a few minutes later when he either: 1) calmed down a bit or, 2) someone got it thought his head that he had indeed NOT been ejected from the game. By that time however, he looked like he’d abandoned his teammates and returned to the field without any socks on… leaving everyone to believe he wasn’t retuning with the idea that he would be ready to play.

Then there’s the issue of Peters arguing (or yelling?) at a coach on the team bus. That was likely the nail that sealed his fate… a suspension by Reid.

Some have suggested that Marcus Peters should apologize publicly — in a media conference — to his teammates and to the fans. While apologizing isn’t in vogue these days politically, it certainly would help with his teammates and I’m pretty sure he has done that in the locker room.

My experience with apologizing… is quite different than what often happens publicly. When a person “truly” is in a position of regret… then apologizing is not a one time event, whether it’s public or not. But it is a position of understanding that person comes to, and remains in… even when others come calling to lambast you for doing whatever you may have done. When that happens, you don’t suddenly backtrack and state that you already apologized and you won’t do it again… nor do you complain that the person who was wronged is now out for a pint of blood because they are simply wanting to talk it over again or clarify their feelings. What you will do — if you are truly in an emotional position of regret — is to express your understanding for why someone has been wronged. Period.

I would suggest that Marcus Peters is not that kind of person. That’s not a judgmental statement… it’s one that takes into consideration what happened in college (chocking a coach) and connecting the dots to the way he’s behaved as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs.

While I see Marcus Peters as emotional, excitable, passionate and willing to take risks… I also see that his kind of talent is just part of the package that makes him an integral part of a Chiefs defense that is in need of his kind of chutzpah.

While there are those who have a problem with his being close friends with the Raiders’ Marshawn Lynch… or deciding not to participate, the way others want him to participate, when the National Anthem is played… I would have to agree something that I heard said recently about Peters and the way fans are treating him: “He has done nothing wrong off the field but is being treated like a criminal when his teammate Tyreek Hill is getting a pass [because Hill has admitted to choking the pregnant mother of his child].”

At this point, I’m more interested in how Marcus Peters, and the Chiefs defense, will adjust to his return to the field. If the defensive backfield has a bad game this weekend with Peters on the field… while they clearly had an excellent game last weekend… the Chiefs will need to reassess how they use Peters, and what his place is on the team beyond this coming offseason.

I’ll end with a little twist on an alliteration-limerick which we hope is answered by Peters tomorrow:

Peter Piper picked a peck of Philip River’s peppers. A peck of Philip’s peppers Peter Piper picked. If Peter Piper picked a peck of Philip River’s peppers, where’s the peck of Philip’s peppers Peter Piper picked?

You’ve got to give a guy a break who taught public school for more than a few decades. Go Chiefs!

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