After Todd Haley was fired as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, there was plenty of talk (and even more hope) that he would return to the Arizona Cardinals to run the team's offense. While many thought that it was at best a long shot (yours truly included), it might actually happen.
According to NFL sources, as reported by Kent Somers, Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt is expected to speak to Haley about returning to Arizona to run the offense.
If true, this is quite interesting. There really isn't anywhere on the current staff to put him without either letting someone go or by adding to the staff. Whisenhunt is a friend of Haley, but he is also close with current offensive coordinator Mike Miller. Miller was promoted to the position before this past season.
It has been said that Miller has been doing the playcalling, but by all indications it has not been a solo job. Both Russ Grimm and Whisenhunt are in the decision making process, or rather the game planning.
One speculation brought up by our own khodder is that Haley could be brought in as the wide receivers coach and be given the title of assistant head coach (which is an extra title usually with a bump in pay grade). Russ Grimm is already an assistant head coach, but it is not unheard of to have more than one with the title. Apparently the Tennesse Titans have at least two.
Haley back as a receivers coach would be great. The young corp of receivers the team currently has in Andre Roberts, Early Doucet (unless he leaves via free agency), DeMarco Sampson and Stephen Williams could use him, especially with how he has been able to develop young receivers.
The question is how the coaching dynamic would change. Would be given the playcalling reins alone? Would he work in conjunction with Miller, Whiz and Grimm. If so, how will that go? He is known to be very abrasive and hard to work with -- even with friends like Whiz.
Todd Haley back running things -- do we really want to see it? Part of me says yes, but there is a part of me that also says no. His success coincided with Kurt Warner's time. The two mutually benefited from the other. Right now we all look back at Haley's playcalling days fondly. There is the fear that we may find out just how much of his success was Warner. After all, Warner was still here in 2009 when Haley first coached the Chiefs and the offense was still really good.
Whether this really happens is obviously still speculation and the report only says that Whiz will speak with him. Haley may not be interested at this point. He surely wants to be a head coach. He may wait and see, in which case may have him missing out on his return.
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