The Chiefs are making a change at general manager.
On the same day they extended head coach Andy Reid, the club announced that they would "part ways" with John Dorsey, shocking the football world and throwing the near future of their already-thin front office into question. According to a statement issued by team Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt, the Chiefs informed Dorsey that his contract would not be extended before the final year of the deal in 2017.
"... And after consideration, we felt it was in his best interests and the best interests of the team to part ways now," Hunt said. "This decision, while a difficult one, allows John to pursue other opportunities as we continue our preparations for the upcoming season and the seasons to come. My family and I sincerely appreciate John's work over the last four-and-a-half years, and we wish him nothing but the best in the future."
The team did not name a successor, though Reid had a heavy hand in personnel during his prior stop in Philadelphia and might take on a larger role in Kansas City.
Hunt will interview GM candidates -- internal and external-- and the person will report to Hunt, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported.
The Chiefs have one candidate in mind. Rapoport reported over the weekend Kansas City has added ESPN analyst Louis Riddick to their candidate list for the GM job and hope to interview him next week. Riddick wrote on Twitter that the Chiefs have yet to contact him regarding an interview.
After losing their No. 2 personnel man, Chris Ballard, to the Indianapolis Colts this offseason, Dorsey was viewed as the stabilizing force who could keep the consistently steady Chiefs on track. Dorsey's personnel staff have uncovered several draft gems over the past few seasons, helping them reach the playoffs in three of the last four seasons. The Chiefs have never finished lower than second place with Reid and Dorsey in the building together.
"I want to thank Clark, the Hunt family and the Chiefs fans for the opportunity to be a part of Chiefs Kingdom over the last four seasons," Dorsey said in the statement. "I believe this team is well positioned for the future and I wish Coach Reid, the players and the entire organization all the best."
The move could fuel Dorsey's return to the personnel powerhouse in Green Bay, where he spent 12 seasons as a personnel director, football ops director or college scouting director. He defected in 2013 to take over a 2-14 Chiefs team that had recently parted ways with head coach Romeo Crennel and general manager Scott Pioli.
While this might seem like an odd time to change direction, the draft often serves as a logical starting and ending point for executives in the front office. This season, the Chiefs surprised many by trading up for Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes II. Next season, they might be headed in a completely different direction. One thing is for sure -- Dorsey will not have to wait long for another opportunity.
