When Haley was receivers coach for the Dallas Cowboys in 2004-05 and Romo was a relatively unknown young player trying to find his way, the two formed a friendship that also seemed to fuel one another's competitive spirit.
"He was the epitome of a gym rat," Haley said. "You couldn't get him out of the building."
At the moment, both men have fallen upon tough times. Haley's Chiefs (0-4) are mired in a horrendous 2-for-29 streak, the worst in franchise history. Romo's Cowboys (2-2) are fresh off a close loss at Denver and must right themselves at once to become a factor in the rugged NFC East.
Haley knows Romo never will give up, something he learned back in Dallas during some racquetball games that were not for the faint of heart.
"He and I had a grudge match going every day," Haley said. "For months we went. We were coming out of there . . . both of us bleeding."
When Haley wasn't fighting Romo on the racquetball court, he was helping him improve.
"It could be the middle of winter and he'd be calling me out on the field and saying, 'Coach, come look at this. I'm putting my pinkie here instead of here. Come watch me throw this,'" he said.
And it wasn't long until the Cowboys staff made the decision - controversial to many people at the time - to turn the offense over to Romo.
Haley prefers not to say how he voted. But he leaves no doubt as to the lofty opinion he still holds of an old racquetball foe who's 29-14 as a starter while throwing for 11,290 yards and 82 touchdowns.
"He has a unique skill set for the quarterback," Haley said. "He's very athletic, great vision. The athleticism allows him to move around. He doesn't always use it to run. He uses it to keep the play alive and get away from pressure."
Getting away from pressure has been a problem for the Chiefs - one of many. Matt Cassel and Brodie Croyle have been sacked 13 times. One of three teams without a rushing touchdown, the Chiefs were dominated the past two weeks by the Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Giants.
Logically, the Cowboys might be a good chance for them to break through and get a win. Dallas took a 10-0 lead against the Broncos but wound up losing 17-10, and some critics say the Cowboys have a tendency to self-destruct.
"We can't depend on them to beat themselves," Chiefs defensive lineman Tank Tyler said. "We've got to go out with the mindset that we're going to beat them. Heck, man, we're still looking for our first win. We're supposed to wait for somebody to beat themselves?"
At the same time, the Cowboys are being careful not to dismiss 0-4 Kansas City.
"Well, we're 2-2, so we're not the prettiest bride in the church right now, either," Dallas defensive end Marcus Spears said. "Anybody in this league can beat you. So you can't have any mental letdowns. I think the guys on this team - I know the guys on this team - are ready to get back on the field and get that bad taste out of our mouth."
The Cowboys could quickly get buried if they lose to a Chiefs team that New York and Philadelphia manhandled.
"Any time you're in a situation we're in, or Kansas City, you need these games," Romo said. "This one's as important as they come. We know that. We're going to leave it on the field and do everything we can to win this game."
