Jun 14, 2005 Jonathan Rand
Dick Vermeil’s interest in free-agent wide receiver Az-Zahir Hakim comes as no surprise. NFL coaches tend to have soft spots for players they’ve coached before.
Sometimes it’s because a coach thinks he, better than anybody else, knows what makes a player tick. Maybe the player needs to get back in his old offensive or defensive system to play at his best.
Sometimes a coach, especially in a new situation, wants some of his old hands to show his new players how he expects them to work. If a player’s had attitude problems, maybe his old coach thinks he can handle him. And sometimes a coach feels a sense of loyalty to a player who’s helped him win, or at least survive.
Vermeil has said that Hakim may not be the same player he was in St. Louis. He was a valuable extra receiver from 1998-2001, and the Lions were sufficiently impressed to sign him as a free agent. But the Lions released him this spring and the Chiefs have been on the lookout for wide receivers talented enough to challenge for a starting job, yet affordable enough to fit under their salary cap.
There’s no point trying to discourage Vermeil from looking at one of his old Rams. He’s had astonishing success with them so far. Quarterback Trent Green and wide receiver Eddie Kennison brought major question marks with them to the Chiefs in 2001, and since have turned them into exclamation points.
Green has become a Pro Bowl quarterback and Kennison’s the leading wide receiver on the league’s top-ranked offense. When Green joined the Chiefs, he was still recovering from complications from a major knee injury suffered in the 1999 preseason. The Chiefs paid a steep price, the 12th overall draft pick in 2001, for Green. After a 2001 season in which he was limping, interception-prone and often criticized, Green started to thrive.
Kennison appeared on his way out of the league when the Denver Broncos released him during the 2001 season. Broncos coach Mike Shanahan isn’t known for letting talent slip through his hands and the Chiefs became Kennison’s fifth team in four years. Though he had obvious talent, especially blazing speed, Kennison hadn’t been able to follow up on the promise he showed as a Rams rookie in 1996. During his two years coaching Kennison in St. Louis, Vermeil never saw him at his best.
Once back with Vermeil, though, Kennison matured personally and professionally.He became a starter in 2002 and enjoyed his first 1,000-yard receiving season last year. It’s not often a coach can grab a player off the street and make him a star. Now Vermeil can seek his starting split end and know he’s set on the other side with Kennison.
Not every ex-Ram has blossomed under Vermeil. Cornerback Dexter McCleon made six interceptions in 2003, but lost his starting job last season. Fullback Robert Holcombe, Vermeil’s second-round pick in 1998, is now competing for a spot as a role player. But you’d have to look awfully hard to find another coach who’s having more success than Vermeil by signing his old players.
Cowboys coach Bill Parcells during his four NFL head coaching jobs also has shown a penchant for bringing back the old guard. While coaching the Jets, Parcells pulled a coup with the free-agent signing of Curtis Martin, who’d been his star running back at New England. Martin helped turn the Jets into a playoff team.
Parcells also reclaimed wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson, who became such a headache two years ago in Tampa Bay that coach Jon Gruden sent him home at midseason. Parcells, who’d coached Johnson with the Jets, traded for him last year. Parcells also signed former Jets quarterback, Vinny Testaverde, as a backup. But Testaverde, 40 years old, wound up starting after the surprising release of Quincy Carter.
Quarterbacks are especially popular with their former coaches. Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren reached back to Green Bay to acquire starter Matt Hasselbeck. Lions coach Steve Mariucci signed Jeff Garcia, a three-time Pro Bowler for Mariucci in San Francisco, as a backup after he flamed out last year in Cleveland.
Assistant coaches are forever recommending players who’ve played for them before. The Chiefs signed pass rusher Carlos Hall, largely because defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham liked what he saw of Hall in Tennessee.
Players tend to perform well for coaches who show they have faith in them. As tough a business as pro football may be, never underestimate the value of the personal touch.
*************************************
I wish Az all the best.
Dick Vermeil’s interest in free-agent wide receiver Az-Zahir Hakim comes as no surprise. NFL coaches tend to have soft spots for players they’ve coached before.
Sometimes it’s because a coach thinks he, better than anybody else, knows what makes a player tick. Maybe the player needs to get back in his old offensive or defensive system to play at his best.
Sometimes a coach, especially in a new situation, wants some of his old hands to show his new players how he expects them to work. If a player’s had attitude problems, maybe his old coach thinks he can handle him. And sometimes a coach feels a sense of loyalty to a player who’s helped him win, or at least survive.
Vermeil has said that Hakim may not be the same player he was in St. Louis. He was a valuable extra receiver from 1998-2001, and the Lions were sufficiently impressed to sign him as a free agent. But the Lions released him this spring and the Chiefs have been on the lookout for wide receivers talented enough to challenge for a starting job, yet affordable enough to fit under their salary cap.
There’s no point trying to discourage Vermeil from looking at one of his old Rams. He’s had astonishing success with them so far. Quarterback Trent Green and wide receiver Eddie Kennison brought major question marks with them to the Chiefs in 2001, and since have turned them into exclamation points.
Green has become a Pro Bowl quarterback and Kennison’s the leading wide receiver on the league’s top-ranked offense. When Green joined the Chiefs, he was still recovering from complications from a major knee injury suffered in the 1999 preseason. The Chiefs paid a steep price, the 12th overall draft pick in 2001, for Green. After a 2001 season in which he was limping, interception-prone and often criticized, Green started to thrive.
Kennison appeared on his way out of the league when the Denver Broncos released him during the 2001 season. Broncos coach Mike Shanahan isn’t known for letting talent slip through his hands and the Chiefs became Kennison’s fifth team in four years. Though he had obvious talent, especially blazing speed, Kennison hadn’t been able to follow up on the promise he showed as a Rams rookie in 1996. During his two years coaching Kennison in St. Louis, Vermeil never saw him at his best.
Once back with Vermeil, though, Kennison matured personally and professionally.He became a starter in 2002 and enjoyed his first 1,000-yard receiving season last year. It’s not often a coach can grab a player off the street and make him a star. Now Vermeil can seek his starting split end and know he’s set on the other side with Kennison.
Not every ex-Ram has blossomed under Vermeil. Cornerback Dexter McCleon made six interceptions in 2003, but lost his starting job last season. Fullback Robert Holcombe, Vermeil’s second-round pick in 1998, is now competing for a spot as a role player. But you’d have to look awfully hard to find another coach who’s having more success than Vermeil by signing his old players.
Cowboys coach Bill Parcells during his four NFL head coaching jobs also has shown a penchant for bringing back the old guard. While coaching the Jets, Parcells pulled a coup with the free-agent signing of Curtis Martin, who’d been his star running back at New England. Martin helped turn the Jets into a playoff team.
Parcells also reclaimed wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson, who became such a headache two years ago in Tampa Bay that coach Jon Gruden sent him home at midseason. Parcells, who’d coached Johnson with the Jets, traded for him last year. Parcells also signed former Jets quarterback, Vinny Testaverde, as a backup. But Testaverde, 40 years old, wound up starting after the surprising release of Quincy Carter.
Quarterbacks are especially popular with their former coaches. Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren reached back to Green Bay to acquire starter Matt Hasselbeck. Lions coach Steve Mariucci signed Jeff Garcia, a three-time Pro Bowler for Mariucci in San Francisco, as a backup after he flamed out last year in Cleveland.
Assistant coaches are forever recommending players who’ve played for them before. The Chiefs signed pass rusher Carlos Hall, largely because defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham liked what he saw of Hall in Tennessee.
Players tend to perform well for coaches who show they have faith in them. As tough a business as pro football may be, never underestimate the value of the personal touch.
*************************************
I wish Az all the best.