Cassel learned from on of the best

Here is an article from the New York Times on Kansas City Chiefs QB Matt Cassel, who had a tremendous 2010 season. Cassel was drafted in the 7th round 2005 by the New England Patriots.when the Patriots picked him up as a free agent. This article talks about how Cassel learned his work ethic and leadership skills from Tom Brady:

Drafted by the Patriots in the seventh round in 2005, Cassel became Brady’s shadow. He arrived at the facility to work out before the first scheduled activity of the day because that is what Brady did. Everything he knows about being a leader, he learned by watching Brady, who won three Super Bowls before Cassel’s arrival.

“He’d always yell at me and say you can’t make the simple mistake,” Cassel recalled, “because how are you going to yell at your receivers, your running backs, your linemen for making simple mistakes if you’re making them?”

Once, Cassel said, he made the simple mistake of forgetting about a noon conference Brady had added to the schedule. When Cassel showed up on time for a 12:15 meeting, Brady glowered.

“He was furious,” Cassel said. “He asked me where I had been at 12 o’clock, and I remember saying: ‘Why didn’t you come get me? Because I was in the building, I was just eating lunch.’ And he said: ‘Because I’m not responsible for you. You have to be accountable for yourself.’ ”

If you are going to be the leader, you better be the hardest worker

Good article in the USA Today on new Chiefs QB Matt Cassel. Lots of good leadership qualities listed here:

This weekend's mandatory minicamp brought all the Chiefs players on the field with their new quarterback for the first time. The realization is sinking in that his time is finally at hand.

"Slowly but surely," he said Saturday with a grin. "We're building chemistry, we're building rapport and everybody's working hard."

Although coach Todd Haley refuses to name a starter at any position, there is no question in anyone's mind who the No. 1 quarterback will be.

"He's running the team," said wide receiver Bobby Engram. "And I'm very impressed. He's a very sharp guy. He's watching film, he's drawing up plays, he's coaching everybody up. He's shown early on that we're going to be able to rely on him."

Haley, the offensive coordinator the past two years at Arizona, is not known as an easy man to please. But when asked about his new quarterback, he seems almost to gush.

"He's the leader for every workout group. It's hard to outwork this guy," he said.

"When he's done working out, he's upstairs bugging us. He's making drawings, coming up with ideas, wanting to talk football, all the time on top of working out real hard. He's lost some weight, has his body in shape. We want our quarterback to be one of the hardest workers on the team. I think he's clearly shown me that."

Even with his naturally upbeat outlook on life, there were times when Cassel did get discouraged. But now he believes even that is going to work to his advantage in Kansas City.

"You get toughened up," he said. "There's going to be a lot of adversity that comes up during the season, whether we lose a game, whether it's a tough play or an interception or something like that. You have to be able to overcome it and be mentally tough.

"You continue to be mentally tough and you continue to push through and know there's a bright spot at the end of the tunnel."

Matt Cassel on Leadership

“You have to show first by going out there and demonstrating that in workouts and in your day-to-day activity and show everybody by example rather than what you say,” Cassel said. “As you earn their respect out there on the field through example and what you do, you’re able to … use your voice a little bit more and have a lot to say when it comes to telling people what to do.”

-Matt Cassel

QB, Kansas City Chiefs

Good Teammate

Matt Cassel talking about accepting a backup position after having a tremendous year with the Patriots:

“If the situation is what it is, then I would accept it and I would continue to do what I have done my entire career which is work hard, put my best foot forward and continue to work on the things that I need to and put out my best effort,” Cassel said.

“This is Tom’s team,” he said. “The Patriots have been Tom’s team. He’s built that franchise up with his own two hands. He’s the guy, and he was the MVP the year before. I realize that. He’s been such a mentor for me that I would say, ‘No, there is no quarterback competition.’ But I’ve learned so many things from Tom, and hopefully it’ll help me in my career.”