Chiefs Counting on Cassel to Lead
Dennis Dylan - SportingNews.com
Aug 04, 2009
RIVER FALLS, Wis. -- On his first night in Kansas City, quarterback Matt Cassel and his wife went to a country club for a quiet dinner and private conversation. Or so they thought. Later, the Cassels learned that their server had written a full blog about what they ate and what they talked about.
Welcome to the life of a starting quarterback in the NFL, where if you simply clear your throat it could wind up on YouTube or Twitter.
A year ago, no one cared what Cassel had to eat -- or say, for that matter. He hadn't started a football game in almost nine years, since his senior year at Chatsworth (Calif.) High School. Then Tom Brady sustained a knee injury in the 2008 season opener, and Cassel's life changed forever.
A '05 seventh-round pick from USC who had been a backup in his first three seasons, Cassel stepped in as the Patriots' starter, passed for 3,693 yards and 21 touchdowns and led New England to an 11-5 record. Next thing he knew, he was traded to the Chiefs for a second-round draft choice and wound up with a lucrative six-year, $63 million contract, of which $28 million is guaranteed.
"It's been a crazy up-and-down road, but I wouldn't change it for anything," he said. "This is really special for me to finally be a starting quarterback in the NFL."
Last season, Cassel started for a team that had won three Super Bowls this decade and had Randy Moss and Wes Welker as his receivers. Now, he's the offensive leader of a team that won six games over the last two seasons and has considerably less talent surrounding him.
The Chiefs have a new general manager in Scott Pioli, the former vice president of player personnel for New England. They have a new coach in Todd Haley, the former offensive coordinator of the Cardinals. And they have a glass-is-half-full kind of guy in Cassel, who has adopted an optimistic attitude and is wearing it on his sleeve.
"There's been a lot of change, and we have to capitalize on that change," he said. "We've got people in place now that are going to take us in the right direction, and our goal is to win games."
Cassel didn't waste time making acquaintances with his new teammates. Rather than putting off formal introductions until the offseason program began, he phoned several players and established an instant rapport.
"He said, 'I know you know Randy (Moss) pretty well and have seen his work ethic. I'm trying to get you to his level,'" Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe said. "From Day 1, he let me know 'I'm in your corner.'"
Chiefs fans have been waiting a long time -- since Hall of Famer Len Dawson retired after the 1975 season -- for a long-term, premier quarterback. Trent Green had a nice run from '01 to '06, and there were brief flashes from others (Joe Montana, Steve DeBerg, Bill Kenney). Although Cassel has started only 15 games in the NFL, he seems like the real deal.
"He's got some qualities that you've seen in other quarterbacks," said Haley, who sees some comparisons to Brady in Cassel. "I think he's got a chance to succeed."
During a recent press conference, a voice from the back of the group asked Cassel, "Now that you have signed that big contract, what would you pay to wear No. 16?"
The voice belonged to Dawson, who wore that number. Cassel originally had asked for it, not knowing it was retired. He settled for No. 7.
Forget the number on Cassel's back. Chiefs fans are eager to see what numbers he puts up during games.
Senior writer Dennis Dillon covers the NFL for Sporting News. E-mail him at ddillon@sportingnews.com.
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