Hiring a staff for the first time in his new venture as a head coach was item 1-A on Todd Haley's to-do list following his Feb. 5 hiring by the Kansas City Chiefs.
"First I've got to do some damage control at home. I left a pretty riled up house when we left," Haley said of his five children, the oldest of which (12) apparently wasn't eager to relocate from Phoenix.
But once he restored domestic tranquility in his own home after a whirlwind two weeks that saw him prepping the Arizona Cardinals offense for the Super Bowl before quickly being snapped up by the Chiefs, the soon-to-be 42-year-old Haley immediately set about looking for the coordinators and assistant coaches who will be critical for a first-time head coach.
That selection process likely will be as secretive as was the manner in which Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt courted new general manager Scott Pioli, and the one Pioli used in landing Haley, whose Cardinals offense ranked second in passing, third in scoring and fourth in total offense last season.
Names of potential candidates emerged on a speculative basis only. Would Haley call his own offensive plays as he did for the Cardinals? Might he retain Chan Gailey, the offensive coordinator from Herm Edwards staff? Would he go outside to someone such as former Tampa Bay offensive coordinator Bill Muir, recently deposed as part of Jon Gruden's staff?
"I've got a completely open mind," Haley said, "I'm looking for good, hard-nosed football coaches that like to get after the players a little bit. I'm kind of encouraged that there are more names out there than I've thought."
Few other specifics were forthcoming from Haley's first press conference as a head coach. Would he favor the 3-4 system Pioli knew at New England over the 4-3 played in Kansas City for more than a decade? Would he retain quarterback Tyler Thigpen and the spread offense Gailey installed at the midpoint of 2008? Way too early for any such answers, Haley said, until he had time to evaluate the players he inherits with Pioli and put his first staff in place.
Only then will Haley start seeking some domestic peace in his new home. Running back Larry Johnson continues to demand a trade or a release. Pro Bowl tight end Tony Gonzalez's desire to be traded to a contender hasn't waned any, either, even with the hiring of an offensive-minded coach.
Perhaps dealing with his own small children will be good initial training.
