When thinking of dynasties, often the people that get talked about are the quarterback, the star defensive player, or the coach.
Often, we forget about the person who puts the roster and team together: the general manager. In Kansas City, that man is Brett Veach, and he has done an outstanding job building the next potential NFL dynasty.
Brett Veach’s College Football Days at Delaware
From 1998 to 2001, Veach was a running back, receiver, and returner at Delaware. There he was college teammates with quarterback Matt Nagy, who is now the Chiefs offensive coordinator.
Veach is still the all-time kick return leader at Delaware, as he had 1,558 return yards during his four seasons as a Blue Hen.
Andy Reid Brings Veach to Philadelphia
In 2004, Veach got his NFL start as a coaching intern for the Philadelphia Eagles. He had that role for four years, before becoming more involved, working with head coach Andy Reid.
In 2008, Veach became a coaches’ assistant before moving to the scouting department of the Eagles in 2010. This is where Veach started to take the career journey to where he is today.
Veach follows Reid to Kansas City
In 2013, when Reid became the head coach of the Chiefs, Veach was also on his way to Kansas City. He was initially hired as a pro and college player analyst for the Chiefs and had that role for two years before becoming a co-director of player personnel.
In July 2017, he was given the keys to the Chiefs roster, as he was named the general manager of the team. In an interesting piece of information, San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch became the guy in San Francisco the same year, in January 2017.
Finally, the Veach era began in Kansas City, and it has been an amazing time for Chiefs Kingdom.
Veach Quickly Ranks Among Top General Managers in the NFL
Now, was Veach the guy who made the ultimate decision to draft Patrick Mahomes? John Dorsey was the general manager at that point. However, Veach was the co-director of player personnel, and to say he liked Mahomes was an understatement.
Alex Smith came out recently on a podcast and said Veach was enamored with Mahomes during his freshman year at Texas Tech and was very motivated to get him to Kansas City.
Will the Chiefs re-work the Patrick Mahomes contract in the offseason? 🤔
GM Brett Veach talks to @AdamHBeasley: pic.twitter.com/54hf8dndtL
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) February 6, 2024
While his interest in Mahomes is big, there have been some other moves that have placed Veach among the best in the NFL.
When the Chiefs lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl 55, Kansas City was dominated, 31-9. A huge reason why was that the team had major offensive line issues, and Veach fixed that quickly. The recent draft selections of Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith, along with the signing of Joe Thuney, gave the Chiefs possibly the best IOL in the league.
He has shown he isn’t afraid to make a big move, and that includes trading arguably the best receiver in the NFL.
MORE: The Inside Story of How the Chiefs Discovered Patrick Mahomes
Two years ago, the Chiefs sent Tyreek Hill to Miami for a multitude of draft picks. One of those draft picks ended up becoming Trent McDuffie, who quickly emerged as one of the elite cornerbacks in the NFL. In that 2022 NFL Draft, the Chiefs got McDuffie and defensive end George Karlaftis in the first round.
Those are two cornerstone defensive players who figure to be a part of the Chiefs’ defense for a long time.
Even the Veach critics this year have been frustrated with the receivers on the roster, but the team is once again in a familiar place: the Super Bowl. And, if Veach has shown anything throughout his career as a general manager, it is safe to say that the receiver position will be upgraded by the start of next season.
As the 2023 NFL season comes to a close, the 2024 NFL Draft is on the horizon. Pro Football Network has you covered with everything from team draft needs to the Top 100 prospects available. Plus, fire up PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator to put yourself in the general manager’s seat and make all the calls!