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Unless I missed it in the article, the author ignored the fact that Gonzalez wanted out of K.C. and was threatening a/k/a pondering retirement.
No, he wasn't. That was 2008. When Pioli was hired he said he wanted to wait and talk to the new HC. Even after he did, this is what he said...
Gonzalez even told new general manager Scott Pioli and new head coach Todd Haley that, "I'm on board. If you guys want me here, I'm going to play ball for you ... [but] ... Look, if you guys want to trade me, go ahead and do it. I'm on board with that too." Via NFL.com.
Much like Waters he quickly became disenchanted with the new HC. He wanted to play for a contender. He wanted a committment to improving the defense and he wanted a competitive QB and mindset on offense. KC never shopped him in 2009. And he never threatened to retire. In fact they only decided to do a deal after Atlanta approached them and offered a 2nd rounder (albeit in 2010 so the equivalent of a 3rd rounder). Pioli got caught up on value. He had nothing to replace Gonzalez with, and he simply decided a pick for a 32 year old TE was more valuable than an all pro TE for his new franchise QB... Haley signed off on the trade because he thought he could turn Bowe around. His specialty was troubled young WR's. He tended to butt heads with veterans be they OL or WR or TE. Even butted heads with Warner in AZ although Warner was able to rise above it and make Haley look better than he ever was. And not that Ben isn't a handful and willful, but rumor has it he has a car idling for the opportunity to take Haley to the airport for a one way trip.
The following season they landed Moeaki in the draft and that helped Charlie get things turned around. Unfortunately not only did Haley manage to run Charlie off as that season ended, he caused Moeaki to be lost for all of 2011 after he decided to play all his starters in the week 4 pre season game because damn it, he wanted a win. He ended up with one more of many losses to come in part due to injury... And yet, compared to Cassel and Pioli he remained relatively teflon coated in the minds of those idiot fans in KC who should have been flying fire Haley banners by the end of 2010.