Multiple media sources are reporting that the Kansas City Chiefs will pluck another nut from the New England Patriots family tree and hire Brian Daboll as their new offensive coordinator sometime this week, possibly as early as Monday.
The Chiefs have needed a new offensive coordinator since Bill Muir retired on February 1. Former KC coordinator, Al Saunders, and current QB coach, Jim Zorn, also interviewed for the job. However, as most Chiefs fans can attest, both men had a huge obstacle to overcome in that neither man had ever worked for Bill Belichick or the New England Patriots before.
Daboll, age 36, spent last year as the offensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins but was let go after new head coach, Joe Philbin, brought in Mike Sherman as coordinator last month. Before that, Daboll spent two years as O-coordinator in Cleveland (2009-2010), two years as the QB coach for the NY Jets (2007-2008), and seven years as an assistant coach in New England (2000-2006).
Daboll was the wide receivers coach in New England during Matt Cassel’s first two years in the league, so Daboll has some prior experience with the Chiefs QB, and vice versa.
Critics of the hire will scream that Daboll is just another refugee from the Patriots that will seemingly always have a home as long as Scott Pioli is the General Manager in KC. Also, they will be happy to point out that in his three seasons as an offensive coordinator in the NFL, his offenses ranked 32nd, 29th, and 22nd in the league statistically.
However, Daboll’s supporters will counter that in two of those three years, he had some of the worst offensive talent you could put on a football field (Cleveland) and that last year after journeyman Matt Moore took over at QB in Miami when starter Chad Henne was injured, the Dolphins offense improved as the year went on.
Daboll's play-calling even made Reggie Bush a running back to be feared as 2011 progressed after years of disappointment, so the fact that he’ll start next year with the (hopefully) healthy returns of Cassel at QB, Jamaal Charles in the backfield, and Tony Moeaki at tight end bodes well.
Also, if free agent Dwayne Bowe is re-signed and Steve Breaston and Jonathan Baldwin actually get a full off-season to work out with the team and learn the offense, the wide receiving corps could be potentially spectacular.
The Chiefs are expected to battle for the AFC West crown again next year so Daboll’s hiring could potentially blow up in Pioli’s face if the offense struggles at any point. If Cassel can come close to his 2010 performance (27 TDS/7 ints) and Charles can vie for the rushing title, Daboll’s hiring might be a success.
Then again, he can’t be any worse than what Muir did last year when the Chiefs ranked 27th overall and 31st out of 32 teams in points scored.
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