Chiefs’ Croyle finally gets his shot

By Mike Ash  |   Thursday, November 15, 2007  |  Comments( 4 )

Kansas City Chiefs
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When Brodie Croyle starts at quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, it will mark the end of a remarkable streak that stretches back 20 years. During the infamous players' strike season of 1987, Todd Blackledge - the Chiefs' first-round draft pick in '83 - made what would ultimately be his final start for the team.

It's been 326 games since Blackledge's last hurrah, and not a single quarterback who has started for Kansas City during that span was actually drafted by the Chiefs. Among the notable names who lined up under center:

- Steve DeBerg, who was acquired after the Chiefs traded away Blackledge, was originally drafted by the Dallas Cowboys.

- Onetime Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski started two games for Kansas City during the final year of his NFL career. Jaworski was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams.

- Joe Montana was already a legend with the San Francisco 49ers when he finished out the final two years of his career with the Chiefs.

- Rich Gannon, who spent four seasons in Kansas City before becoming a league MVP with the Oakland Raiders, was originally drafted by the New England Patriots.

- Trent Green was drafted by the San Diego Chargers and came to Kansas City through a trade with the St. Louis Rams.

Numerous other names -- players like Dave Krieg, Steve Bono, Elvis Grbac and Damon Huard -- can be added to the list, too. Under the direction of general manager Carl Peterson for 19 of the last 20 years, the Chiefs have constantly traded for or signed away quarterbacks who were with other teams, always looking for a steady, experienced hand that could lead the team to the postseason.

Some - like Montana, Green and DeBerg - played exceptionally well, garnering Pro Bowl bids in addition to leading the Chiefs to the playoffs. Others came close to reaching those marks. Some simply fell flat.

Perhaps the most surprising part of this 20-year streak is that the team has barely made an attempt at grooming a young quarterback. The QB selected in the highest round by the Chiefs during Peterson's era was Croyle, who was taken in the third round of last year's draft. And it may be because of Peterson that Croyle hasn't seen the field until now.

Ever since the "Hard Knocks" series on HBO, speculation has raged in Kansas City that Peterson was forcing head coach Herm Edwards to play Huard over Croyle. After Croyle's less-than-impressive showing in the preseason, it was an easy decision to go with the veteran. But recent reports suggest Edwards has been wanting to make the move to Croyle for weeks, only to be overruled by his G.M.

After the Chiefs' 27-11 loss to the Denver Broncos last Sunday, though, the job is now Croyle's for the rest of the season. Kansas City took an 8-6 lead into the half, but thanks to Huard turnovers, the Broncos scored two touchdowns in the first two minutes of the third quarter. The Chiefs never recovered.

A column in the Kansas City Star on Monday suggested that Edwards waited too long to insert Croyle into the game. After Huard's first turnover, at least the Chiefs only would have been behind by five. But if Edwards has had Peterson hovering over his shoulder on the quarterback issue, waiting was the right move. There's no longer any question that the decision to play Croyle is the right one.

And luckily for Croyle, his first NFL start shouldn't be too difficult. All he has to do is go on the road for a duel with Peyton Manning and the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts, who are 7-2. But even with Kansas City as serious underdogs on Sunday, Chiefs fans will get to see something they haven't seen in over two decades.

A quarterback who's finally their own.
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