Torn knee ligaments suffered by safety Eric Berry, running back Jamaal Charles and tight end Tony Moeaki contributed to a disappointing 7-9 record for the Chiefs in 2011.
All three players are healthy enough to play in this week’s preseason opener, a hopeful sign of better things to come this time around in Kansas City. General Manager Scott Pioli is among those who believe that the Chiefs are capable of a more successful campaign. During an appearance on the NFL Network, Pioli said that he thinks the team should be feeling the pressure to live up to those loftier expectations.
“Expectations should be higher than what they’ve been in the past. I mean, it’s only right,” Pioli said. “We’re in our fourth season in this program. We’ve done a lot of work to retain very good players in the Derrick Johnsons, the Tamba Halis, the Jamaal Charles and some other players, but we’ve also added some other good players. I feel we have a really good coaching staff intact, so expectations should be high.”
By setting the bar high, Pioli isn’t just putting the pressure on his players. His job security is tied to the success of the team he puts on the field and he’ll only get so many chances to put a consistent winner on the field before the organization decides to move in a different direction.
