Todd Haley, poor sport, disses Josh McDaniels

Date: Monday, November 15, 2010

Kansas City Chiefs coach Todd Haley marched through a crowd of press and players following his team’s 49-29 loss to the Denver Broncos all the way to midfield to meet Josh McDaniels.

Not for the postgame handshake. To wag his finger at McDaniels, exchange some choice words, and walk away.

The Chiefs were thoroughly dismantled in Denver Sunday, trailing 35-0 shortly before halftime before making the score a bit more presentable with 29 points.

Still, that’s pro football. It’s not personal. Haley’s move was. It’s nothing short of a huge mark of disrespect by Haley toward McDaniels.

Haley wouldn’t comment on the incident following the game other than saying it’s “a private time between head coaches that has become not so private,” but various reports suggest Haley was upset over the fact the Broncos were still chucking the ball around deep into the fourth quarter.

Sports Illustrated’s Jim Trotter reports that “Haley was not happy with Broncos max protecting, throwing deep and blitzing regularly with a 32-point 4th-quarter lead.” Trotter went on to note that last season in INVESCO, with the tables effectively turned, Haley pulled Jamaal Charles even as the running back was less than 40 yards from the league rushing record.

Apparently, Haley feels McDaniels didn’t extend him the same courtesy.

Even if that was the case, the point is moot when one takes a closer look at the box score. The Chiefs outscored the Broncos 29-14 following the Broncos’ 35-point lead. They beat them in the second half 19-14. Any notion of the Broncos “running up the score” is purely ridiculous.

And even if the Broncos had been putting on the hurt — too bad, Todd Haley. This is professional football. You get paid millions to prepare your football team to stop this type of beating. You failed to do your job, and scowling at your opponent won’t change that.

Finally, McDaniels deserves credit for the consistency in which he handled his personnel late in his games. Whether the Broncos are winning big or losing big (as they were three weeks ago against Oakland), the Broncos coach has kept his starting personnel in late in the game. Tim Tebow isn’t getting garbage time snaps, because, to Josh McDaniels, there is no such thing as garbage time in the NFL.

McDaniels wouldn’t comment on the incident, according to CBS4’s Vic Lombardi. “Ask him,” McDaniels said. “I’m going to focus on my team.”

The NFL has placed a higher emphasis on sportsmanship this offseason, as evidenced by the NFL officiating crews’ presentations to NFL clubs this offseason. The league explicitly mentioned trash talking between opposing players, imploring players to recognize the match as a respectful competition among professionals. Taunting is strictly prohibited and susceptible to penalty.

Shouldn’t NFL head coaches be held to at least the same standards?

Haley didn’t just avoid shaking McDaniels’ hand. He went out of his way (several yards out of his way) to make a scene and scold one of his peers.

If you have a problem with the way your opponent coached, A) too bad, and B) don’t publicly purport to owning a higher moral standard. The only potential gain in that is embarrassing Josh McDaniels.

The NFL needs to take a long, hard look at this exchange and determine how best to act. The NFL should fine Haley for his unsportsmanlike display.