Why Brett Veach Credits Fred Warner for Making Him a Better GM

Welcome to the stretch on the NFL calendar between the Super Bowl and scouting combine, when journalists reveal intriguing nuggets they collected before the game. One of those nuggets was a fascinating story Chiefs general manager Brett Veach told Kevin Clark.

As a BYU linebacker, Fred Warner was tough on opponents and tougher on NFL scouts. He played a position called Flash, lining up 15 yards from the line of scrimmage and typically covering wide receivers. At 6-3 and 236 pounds, he led the team in the rare combination of interceptions, pass breakups and tackles.

One Rep Back with Chiefs GM Brett Veach.

I asked him what scouting report grade he'd like back.

Answer? FRED WARNER.

Interestingly his friend from the *Eagles* liked Warner way more.

Watch. A great chat from media night on This Is Football. pic.twitter.com/Pf1GLqbyUt
— Kevin Clark (@bykevinclark) February 18, 2025

Veach and the Chiefs didn’t see a bright NFL future in Warner, passing on him in the 2018 draft.
San Francisco jumped on Warner in the third round and four All-Pro selections later, players like Eagles linebacker Zack Baun pattern their games after Warner's inspiring play. Veach knows he swung and missed.

“I remember, they played him a little bit differently at BYU,” Veach told Clark at Super Bowl Opening Night. “Just didn't see what you see now. And I'm a big fan of his … the athleticism, just for how they use him. It’s one of those things now when I watch him, like I said, I'm such a big fan. I was like, ‘Man, I wish I could go back in time and change my grade on Fred Warner’ because I think he's an awesome player.”

The good news for the Chiefs is that Veach had excellent mentors, who instilled in him a healthy growth mindset. The fruits of that approach are in the Chiefs’ seven AFC Championship Games and five Super Bowls since missing on Warner.

One of those Veach mentors is Eagles senior director of college scouting Anthony Patch. Veach served on Andy Reid’s Eagles coaching staff from 2004-09 before transitioning to Philadelphia’s scouting and personnel departments, where he worked closely with Patch.

“I give my friend Anthony Patch a lot of credit,” Veach told Clark. “We’re really close and he taught me a lot about scouting.”

Patch taught Veach more than just the art of scouting players like Warner. He also taught Veach the art of learning from mistakes. That’s obviously important as Veach seeks to upgrade his offensive tackles for Patrick Mahomes and potentially replace Travis Kelce, Trey Smith, Nick Bolton and Justin Reid.

“Thank you, Fred, for just pushing me just to make sure I don't miss the next one.”

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