Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

The 2011 season did not go as planned for Chiefs' fans.

Last season Head Coach Todd Haley was in consideration for the Coach of the Year award. This season he was fired.

Jamaal Charles was to be the Chiefs' MVP in the 2011 season. Instead he injured his knee and missed the season.

The Chiefs were infected by the injury bug in 2011, but finished the season strong under Interim Coach Romeo Crennel. The Chiefs’ General Manager Scott Pioli will spend the upcoming weeks interviewing potential head coaches.

My opinion is that Pioli should hire Josh McDaniels from St. Louis as the new Offensive Coordinator and remove the interim tag from Crennel.

Although the 2011 season was a disappointment, the future for the Chiefs looks bright.

By finishing the season 7-9 the Chiefs will end up with the No. 11 or 12 draft pick in the 2012 NFL draft. The Chiefs tied with Seattle with a 7-9 records, so the draft position is to be determined by a coin flip at the NFL combine.

The Chiefs will have a lot of money to spend before the 2012 season begins. The question is: Will they spend it?

Video Play Button Videos you might like

The new rule that requires teams to spend 89 percent of the salary cap on players does not go into effect until 2013. The new labor agreement for the NFL will provide the most free agents in NFL history this offseason.

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

The Chiefs will have an opportunity to fill holes on the team through free agency, if they choose to spend the money.

The Chiefs 2012 schedule will not be easy. The teams that finish last in their division are supposed to be rewarded with easy schedules the next season. That is partially true.

The AFC West teams will play all of the teams from the AFC North and the NFC South. That means the Chiefs will play the following teams: Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Atlanta, New Orleans, Carolina, and Tampa Bay.

Five of those teams will be in the playoffs this year.

Since the Chiefs tied for last in their division they will play the last place teams from the other two AFC divisions (South and East). Those teams will be Indianapolis and Miami.

I look for both of these teams to be much better in 2012 than they were in 2011.

It is never too early to start thinking about next year. With a new coach, a new rookie class, new free agents, and the star players for the Chiefs healthy once again; 2012 might be the season the Chiefs return to the playoffs.

Follow me on Twitter @HuskerMagic