Cassel stands behind a lectern, answering questions about his skills and future during his weekly meeting with reporters. Most of the time, he is emotionless, delivering stock responses that, like so much else, have been coached into him.
Then the conversation turns to Cassel’s critics and whether he’ll prove them wrong. How fans’ doubts intensified after an unimpressive preseason. Whether he can become the man to direct the Chiefs toward better days.
Cassel has answered this before, but rarely like this. His eyes well, and his tone is direct.
"I don’t play this game for the people that are against me and think that I can’t do it," he says, and his candor is as surprising as it is refreshing. "I play the game for the people that have always believed in me. I play the game for my family, for my wife, for my mother, so it really comes down to that."
Past the same door Cassel left through, beyond a set of double doors and to the left, there are plenty of men in the Chiefs locker room who say publicly that they’re among the people Cassel plays for.
Some things have never been in doubt with Cassel. His passion, leadership and determination are impressive, and those have helped him earn his teammates’ respect. Ask them about Cassel, and these are the things they say about him:
"Matt is a wonderful person," running back Jamaal Charles says. "A nice person."
"He has a great work ethic," wide receiver Chris Chambers says.
"As a person," left guard Brian Waters says, "he’s definitely more comfortable and definitely more confident."
"Every game’s not going to be perfect," Charles says.
"He overall has a grasp of the concepts," Chambers says.
"I’m probably the wrong person to ask," says Waters, who changes the subject and again redirects the conversation to Cassel’s character.
Beyond these walls, it has become clear that Cassel is entering a pivotal season for his team and himself. The Chiefs, who open the season against the San Diego Chargers on Monday night, believed last year that Cassel could become their franchise quarterback, signing him to a six-year, $63 million contract. It was a gamble, and the question of whether Cassel can fulfill the Chiefs’ expectations will likely be answered in the next three months.
Rich Gannon is a former NFL quarterback who’s now a game analyst for CBS Sports. He has watched, studied and spoken with Cassel. Gannon says what others say: Cassel is a good guy, but it’s unclear yet whether he can become a good player.
And, Gannon says, Cassel doesn’t have much time to prove himself to those outside his unconditional support system.
"There’s a sense of urgency. I think he realizes this is an important year," Gannon says. "I’m just trying to be realistic. I think he’s a fine player. Do I think he’s a Pro Bowl-caliber player right now? Well, no. He’s got to get better.
"As you look at him in the preseason, it’s still a work in progress. That’s the frustrating thing for a lot of people."
Faith is a delicate thing in the NFL. It can change by the week; sometimes by the day. Players are wired to project confidence in their teammates, but it’s difficult to know what’s true and what simply fits the team’s message.
But few argue that this is a quick-fix league, and faith at this level is black and white: Is a player the best option or not? Teammates and coaches might believe in a player today and, after a bad performance, begin eyeing his replacement tomorrow.
Gannon says that another so-so year for Cassel in 2010 might lead the Chiefs’ faith to waver and begin looking toward someone else in 2011. Waters says he believes in Cassel. But like everything in the NFL, that is subject to change.
"I have full confidence that we can be a playoff team with him," Waters says. "If not, then he shouldn’t be at quarterback."
..."Once you start winning ballgames and you start playing well, and the team starts playing well, that takes care of itself. ... I have a job to do, and right now my job is to be the quarterback of this team. I’m going to go out and work hard and do everything I need to do."
Cassel has answered this before, but rarely like this. His eyes well, and his tone is direct.
"I don’t play this game for the people that are against me and think that I can’t do it," he says, and his candor is as surprising as it is refreshing. "I play the game for the people that have always believed in me. I play the game for my family, for my wife, for my mother, so it really comes down to that."
Past the same door Cassel left through, beyond a set of double doors and to the left, there are plenty of men in the Chiefs locker room who say publicly that they’re among the people Cassel plays for.
Some things have never been in doubt with Cassel. His passion, leadership and determination are impressive, and those have helped him earn his teammates’ respect. Ask them about Cassel, and these are the things they say about him:
"Matt is a wonderful person," running back Jamaal Charles says. "A nice person."
"He has a great work ethic," wide receiver Chris Chambers says.
"As a person," left guard Brian Waters says, "he’s definitely more comfortable and definitely more confident."
"Every game’s not going to be perfect," Charles says.
"He overall has a grasp of the concepts," Chambers says.
"I’m probably the wrong person to ask," says Waters, who changes the subject and again redirects the conversation to Cassel’s character.
Beyond these walls, it has become clear that Cassel is entering a pivotal season for his team and himself. The Chiefs, who open the season against the San Diego Chargers on Monday night, believed last year that Cassel could become their franchise quarterback, signing him to a six-year, $63 million contract. It was a gamble, and the question of whether Cassel can fulfill the Chiefs’ expectations will likely be answered in the next three months.
Rich Gannon is a former NFL quarterback who’s now a game analyst for CBS Sports. He has watched, studied and spoken with Cassel. Gannon says what others say: Cassel is a good guy, but it’s unclear yet whether he can become a good player.
And, Gannon says, Cassel doesn’t have much time to prove himself to those outside his unconditional support system.
"There’s a sense of urgency. I think he realizes this is an important year," Gannon says. "I’m just trying to be realistic. I think he’s a fine player. Do I think he’s a Pro Bowl-caliber player right now? Well, no. He’s got to get better.
"As you look at him in the preseason, it’s still a work in progress. That’s the frustrating thing for a lot of people."
Faith is a delicate thing in the NFL. It can change by the week; sometimes by the day. Players are wired to project confidence in their teammates, but it’s difficult to know what’s true and what simply fits the team’s message.
But few argue that this is a quick-fix league, and faith at this level is black and white: Is a player the best option or not? Teammates and coaches might believe in a player today and, after a bad performance, begin eyeing his replacement tomorrow.
Gannon says that another so-so year for Cassel in 2010 might lead the Chiefs’ faith to waver and begin looking toward someone else in 2011. Waters says he believes in Cassel. But like everything in the NFL, that is subject to change.
"I have full confidence that we can be a playoff team with him," Waters says. "If not, then he shouldn’t be at quarterback."
..."Once you start winning ballgames and you start playing well, and the team starts playing well, that takes care of itself. ... I have a job to do, and right now my job is to be the quarterback of this team. I’m going to go out and work hard and do everything I need to do."
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