I know that a lot of fans are going to view the hiring of Brett Veach to general manager as a “hire” but since he has been with the Chiefs already, isn’t it actually a promotion? In any event, the Kansas City Chiefs have issued the following statement:
“After a comprehensive search process, I am pleased to announce that we have hired Brett Veach to serve as the next General Manager of the Kansas City Chiefs,” Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said. “Brett has a sharp football mind, a tremendous work ethic and a keen eye for finding talent. Over the last four seasons he’s played a critical role in building our football team. I look forward to working with him to continue to build on the strong foundation we have in place.”
“… a comprehensive search” ??? Wow, I didn’t know that hiring from within was evidence of a seach that could be classified as “comprehensive.” All sarcasm aside, Pro Football Talk has already raised the issue of, “Who was the Rooney Rule candidate for the Chiefs G.M. job?” The statement made by team spokesmen Ted Crews said that two Rooney Rule candidates were interviewed but did not say who those people might be.
While the headline story here is the story that the Chiefs have a new G.M., the secrecy surrounding so many issues with the firing and hiring do not inspire friendly community support.
PFT goes on to say this about the closed-lipped manner that the Chiefs have employed during this process:
“A lack of transparency doesn’t seem to fit with the spirit of a rule that champions inclusiveness and diversity in a job search and, ultimately, more opportunities for the minority candidates who receive interviews for high-profile, powerful jobs. But if the team and the league are committed to silence, if the candidates are on board with that approach, and if the ever-growing army of reporters working for the media conglomerate partially owned by the team aren’t willing or able to work their network of sources to get to the truth, we all need to get used to a new normal that includes mystery compliance with the Rooney Rule on a routine basis.”
Back to the hire: Brett Veach did release a statement saying:
“My family and I would like to extend our gratitude to Clark and the Hunt family for this incredible opportunity,” Veach said. “I am humbled and honored to serve as the General Manager of the Kansas City Chiefs. Over the last four seasons I’ve had the privilege to work alongside Andy Reid, John Dorsey and a great group of coaches and personnel staff. Together, we built a strong foundation of players that have helped us sustain success on the field. I’m looking forward to continuing our progress as we head into 2017.”
Veach had worked with head coach Andy Reid when he was the head coach in Philadelphia. He has been here in K.C. ever since Reid came to town serving as the Pro College Personnel Analyst and in 2015 he moved to the position of Co-director of Player Personnel where he’s been until now.
Congratulations to Brett Veach. He takes over a very good roster so it’s kind of a “don’t blow it” situation. However, Veach has helped to select and draft some of the Chiefs who are on the roster now so this team is not new to him. So, he should hit the ground running.
What do you think? Do you like this move or the way it was handled?
If you are viewing this in Apple News and would like to join the Discussion, [GO HERE.](http://arrowheadone.com/k-c-chiefs-promote-brett-veach-gm/#disqus_thread)