PHOENIX — Welcome to the Super Bowl of familiarity, right up to the top of the food chain.
It’s not just the Kelce brothers on opposite sides. Or Andy Reid’s history coaching both teams.
But Chiefs general manager Brett Veach worked for the Eagles from 2004-12. He served as a scout from 2010-12 before leaving for Kansas City with Reid. Eagles GM Howie Roseman saw Veach work up-close in those years and remains a fan.
“He wouldn’t care what anyone else’s opinion was. He had a strong opinion,” Roseman said. “He had a great feel for evaluating talent, a great feel for kind of putting the team together. I felt like he was an amazing guy for me to have on staff because he was always digging guys out and then he wouldn’t just write the report. He’d be in your office. He’d tell you, ‘Have you watched this guy yet? Did you see this game? Did you see that game?’ ”
Roseman recalled one instance when Veach’s enthusiasm was evident before he was even asked a question.
“I think it was the 2012 draft where we called him into the draft room,” Roseman said. “He was our Southeast scout. We called him into the draft room and he just said, ‘Take him.’ I said, ‘Veach, I didn’t even ask you what player we’re talking about right now.’ He’s that kind of guy.”
Brian Daboll is 5-0 in Super Bowls as a Patriots assistant coach. The first-year Giants head coach is back this year to see if he can go 1-0 at the NFL honors.
After spending last week in Mobile, Ala., scouting draft prospects at the Senior Bowl, the Giants head coach returned home to New Jersey for a few days before flying out Monday with his wife to the site of Super Bowl 57. Daboll, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni and 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan are the finalists for Associated Press Coach of the Year, which will be revealed Thursday during the NFL Honors program.
One thing on Daboll’s mind this week is the Cardinals and Colts’ head-coach searches. Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale is expected to get a third interview with the Colts, while offensive coordinator Mike Kafka’s odds of taking over the Cardinals seem to be increasing. Brian Flores was hired as Vikings defensive coordinator, leaving Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo and Kafka as the only known finalists in Arizona.
The Chiefs made a couple of roster moves Monday. WR Mecole Hardman was placed on injured reserve. Hardman aggravated a pelvis injury in the AFC Championship game. He had not played since Week 9 before playing in the AFC title game against the Bengals.
RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire was activated from IR after missing the last nine games with an ankle injury. Isiah Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon have been carrying the load for the Chiefs with Edwards-Helaire on the sideline.
Fifteen years ago, Tom Coughlin wanted to get as far away from the Super Bowl XLII hubbub as possible, which is why he opted for an out-of-the-way hotel for the Giants. Coughlin loved that his team spent the week in Chandler, Ariz., at the Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass, on the Gila River Indian Reservation. The resort is 21 miles from downtown Phoenix — about as far away from the action as possible.
The Eagles this week are taking the same approach, as they will also stay at the Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass.
— Additional reporting by Paul Schwartz and Steve Serby
