KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -Carl Peterson made football in Kansas City fun again.
But 20 years later, he’s out as president, CEO and general manager after a gut-wrenching 22-21 loss to San Diego dropped the Chiefs to 2-12 this season and 2-21 since mid-October of 2007.
Clark Hunt, who took over when his father, Lamar, died nearly two years ago, said he and Peterson agreed on Monday it would be best for Peterson to resign from the organization he’s led for 20 seasons.
He’ll serve out the final two weeks and then cut all ties with the franchise that was in such sorry shape when he arrived in 1989 that people were speculating whether owner Lamar Hunt was deliberately trying to depress attendance to enable the team to move.
In his first 10 years, Peterson and the head coach he hired, Marty Schottenheimer, turned the Chiefs into a model franchise. Arrowhead Stadium sold out year after year, making millions for the Hunt family. Peterson had one year left on what he said would be his final contract.
ebody you’re fond of, it’s a very emotional time,” Hunt said Monday in an interview with The Associated Press and the Kansas City Star. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for Carl and a tremendous amount of gratitude for what he’s done for our family and the Chiefs organization. In some ways, it’s like saying goodbye to a family member.”
Hunt said he would begin searching for a successor immediately and would split up Peterson’s duties between two men, one in charge of football and the other in charge of the business side.
Now the focus shifts to head coach Herm Edwards, who has one year left on the four-year deal Peterson signed him to when Dick Vermeil retired after the 2005 season.
Judging from Hunt’s comments on Monday, Edwards may be all right.
“I had a chance to meet with Herm earlier today and I told him I was very supportive of him and the job he’s done in his approach to rebuilding the football team,” Hunt said. “Ultimately, the decision on his future and the rest of the coaching staff is one the new GM will have significant input into. It will be my decision, and we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”
Edwards appears to retain the support and trust of the players as well. Earlier Monday, before Hunt’s bombshell announcement, several expressed their support.
t guard Brian Waters. “And honestly, coach Edwards doesn’t play. He coaches us, he prepares us. That’s his job, to make sure we’re prepared for every game. And I feel like we’ve been prepared. It’s our job to go out and execute.”
Edwards declined to meet with reporters on Monday and dodged commenting directly on his own situation during brief remarks Monday night on the team’s weekly radio show.
“I think the future for this football team is bright. I think you can see that,” Edwards said.
“This team has gotten better over the last month. It’s got a lot of young players. I think the foundation is built for this football team now. I like the direction this organization has taken, and how they’re going to acquire players from here on out. It’s a great situation to be in for a football coach.”
Hunt also said he remains fully on board with the rebuilding-through-youth program that Edwards launched this season.
“True to his word, he has given the young players a chance to play and it’s been gratifying to watch them develop,” Hunt said. “Now, he’s as disappointed as anybody that we haven’t turned more of those close games into wins. But I continue to think he’s the right person both to have led us through this process, and going forward I think he can do a good job as well.”
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