The Kansas City Chiefs announced on Monday that they’ve officially named Brett Veach as the long-term general manager. After 11 years serving in the NFL, with his latest position as the Chiefs co-director of player personnel, Veach finally reached the pinnacle of NFL management. His tenure as general manager will begin by reporting directly to chairman and CEO Clark Hunt. The introductory press conference will occur on Monday July 24th.
We have named Brett Veach as General Manager.
➡️ https://t.co/wtLL2ABfmb pic.twitter.com/aWcg5RNId7
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) July 10, 2017
Kansas City Chiefs Name Brett Veach General Manager
The Chiefs entered the general manager search late in the process, after John Dorsey parted ways with the team on June 22. Speculation for the parting are vast and constant, but the Chiefs have shown a willingness to move directly on by hiring internally.
Veach was praised for his football intelligence by scouting peers and players across the NFL. He was an early candidate for the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles open general manager positions, even getting support from Bills running back LeSean McCoy on Twitter. Hunt reiterated that praise for both his football talent and work ethic when announcing today’s hiring.
“Brett has a sharp football mind, a tremendous work ethic and a keen eye for finding talent. Over the last four seasons he’s played a critical role in building our football team. I look forward to working with him to continue to build on the strong foundation we have in place.” – Clark Hunt
Brett Veach is no stranger to head coach Andy Reid either. Reid’s personal support brought Veach over from the Philadelphia Eagles in 2013. Veach’s career began at the University of Delaware, where he was the supervisor of intercollegiate athletic events. In 2007, Reid hired him to be a personal assistant. Veach was always by Reid’s side through the good and the bad moments. Thus, in 2010 he was promoted to a pro and college scout, and eventually became the head of the Eagles southeastern scouting region from 2011-2012.
The fit will be natural as Veach was already an intrinsic part of the Chiefs cutting process in August. Now, he gets part of the final say alongside Reid. He is already familiar with the roster, and can take full ownership of roster moves. Just last week the Chiefs re-signed linebacker Josh Mauga and safety Steven Terrell, a move that was made by both Brett Veach and assistant Mike Borgonzi.
For a man who has put relationships first in his career, his humble demeanor and forward-thinking work ethic came through in comments.
“I am humbled and honored to serve as the general manager of the Kansas City Chiefs. Over the last four seasons I’ve had the privilege to work alongside Andy Reid, John Dorsey and a great group of coaches and personnel staff. Together, we built a strong foundation of players that have helped us sustain success on the field. I’m looking forward to continuing our progress as we head into 2017.” – Brett Veach
This marks the end of a tumultuous off-season for the Chiefs, featuring the surprising move up in the 2017 NFL Draft to select Patrick Mahomes, the sudden release of wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, and the most recent parting of general manager John Dorsey. Until Veach’s introductory press conference, the Chiefs front office should settle down. Training camp begins shortly after on July 28th.
