Projo Pats Blog

By Randy Covitz
Kansas City Star

KANSAS CITY, Mo.- - New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft made it perfectly clear. He did not want to lose Scott Pioli.

But with coach Bill Belichick being all things football in New England, there was little room at the top of the organization for Pioli. So after nine years with the Patriots, including the last seven as the club's vice president/player personnel, Pioli accepted the position of general manager of the Chiefs, with Kraft's blessing.

"I had preferred he stay with us," Kraft said in a telephone interview. "But at the same time, I realized he was ready to be the No. 1 football person in an organization, and he couldn't be that here.

"We have a rule in our companies, if one can do better for themselves somewhere else, and we can't do for them what they can do (elsewhere), we try to help them if we can. I would have preferred he go somewhere in the NFC, but I'm happy he's going to a place like Kansas City, where you have one of the best ownership families, who understand what's special about the NFL and how to do things in a professional way in one of the markets I most admire."

Pioli, who joined the Patriots in 2000, and Belichick were the longest-tenured personnel director/head coach tandem in the NFL. During that time, the Patriots won three Super Bowls, four AFC championships and six AFC East titles.

But Pioli was not just a yes-man to Belichick.

"He had a chance to grow and develop with the best in the business," Kraft said, "but he wasn't just there as an assistant to do Bill's bidding. He was quite strong in pushing back when he didn't (agree), and to do that with someone like Bill, you have to really have your facts and knowledge.

"He looks at things from every different possibility, and when he makes a recommendation or judgment, it's usually very well thought out."

If there's one word Kraft used to describe Pioli, it was "thorough," whether it was in researching draft picks or free agents.

"I've watched Scott grow here when he came the first season with Bill in 2000, and his responsibilities grew, and everything he was given to do he did ... he's a very thorough person, and he doesn't jump at things quickly. He does his homework.

"He is very thorough in his scouting, in his collecting of information, knowing a lot of things and researching things beyond the level that the average person might do in his position. Getting the extra information and cross-checking reports ... he's very thorough and very good and knows what is required to build a foundation and have a very good football team."

Still, it's one thing to make the suggestions; it's another to make the ultimate decision, as Pioli will now do with the Chiefs.

"Time will tell," Kraft said. "I think he'll do an excellent job. There are a lot of things that happen ... it's the chemistry of the key people, things that happen beyond your control, but in the end, he has good football judgment, and I hope he does well except against the New England Patriots."

Pioli had other opportunities to leave New England, but Kraft said Kansas City was the best fit. And it didn't hurt his chances that Kraft, and his son, Patriots president Jonathan Kraft, are close to the Hunt family, not only through their association in the NFL, but also in Major League Soccer.

"Scott was tremendously loyal and hard-working to his organization," Kraft said. "If he wanted to do something ... he was very selective. He's had a number of opportunities, but this is the one he felt was best to suit his skill set, and what was important to him. The Kansas City Chiefs, the Hunt family and fans of your area are getting an excellent man."

 Tags  Bill Belichick Kansas City Chiefs Robert Kraft Scott Pioli

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