Does Todd Haley Represent The Ceiling For Chiefs Success?

It's only been a few days since the Chiefs season-ending blowout to the Ravens, but in a time where few player personnel moves are even possible, the Chiefs find themselves still creating headlines. The problem is that they're for all the wrong reasons.

There's nothing major going on around Kansas City, mind you. In some ways, it's the typical coaching carousel, the rumors that come with it and the inevitable comments (or "no comment" around these parts) that ensue. No one has been arrested. No one has been fired. The Chiefs are still division winners and left the playoffs in the same week as the defending Super Bowl champion Saints. How bad can it be, right?

"Where's there smoke, there's fire" goes the old saying, and I'm tempted to believe it given enough time for something to smolder. Somehow a team ran by Scott Pioli is making waves of the dramatic kind, the type of headlines usually generated by an Al Davis or Jerry Jones owned team. Todd Haley possibly took the play calls away from Charlie Weis? Probably not since Weis seems a coaching diva of sorts, although the thought certainly isn't out of the realm of possibility, given the way Haley handled Chan Gailey's exit.

Then the latest quotes and stories came around putting forward the idea that Haley might call his own plays. From Gailey to Haley to Weis and now back to Haley? Ridiculous. The revolving door at the position stunted Dwayne Bowe's potential for a year and certainly can't help a signal caller like Matt Cassel or the development of a Dexter McCluster. Certainly we saw some guys take major leaps this year, but there's still something missing that continuity can bring -- and we all saw it in the Chiefs last two games.

At first, the young head coach seemed to learn and grow right before the eyes of the fans (and certainly players and front office). Haley learned from his mistakes with Gailey after firing him one week before the regular season and taking over playcalling duties. Hiring a bright offensive mind that might clash with his own showed he was a team player and not above criticism. Now, it seems he's ready to forget any lessons learned, or perhaps he believes he can now handle the added rigors of calling plays and maintaining the overall perspective a head coach needs.

The best leaders firmly believe in what they are doing and move forward with the courage and determination it takes to follow it through. However, those same leaders will also realize the best ideas sometimes come from outside, and humility is as important as any other trait you may have. It's a fine line to walk and it seems the Chiefs Head Coach still retains a selfish agenda. As successful as the Chiefs have been this past season, they can only grow as much as Todd Haley can grow himself. The traits might be there for the next great Head Coach, which is why Pioli hired him, but the chances also exist that Haley might be the ceiling that keeps the Chiefs from moving higher.