Chiefs Reportedly Set to Hire Vermeil

K A N S A S  C I T Y, Mo., Jan. 11 -- Dick Vermeil is finally set to return tothe NFL as coach of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Now that the NFL has issued a compensation ruling, the Chiefshave called a news conference for Friday to formally introduceVermeil, according to The Kansas City Star.

The newspaper also reported in today's editions that Vermeillast week agreed to a three-year, $10 million contract.

Chiefs Praise ‘Fair’ Deal

Kansas City pried Vermeil out of his consultant's contract withSt. Louis, and the NFL ruled Wednesday it will cost the Chiefs asecond- and third-round draft pick and Vermeil $500,000 he was paidthis season by the Rams.

Chiefs president Carl Peterson said it's fair compensation for"the premier football coach in the National Football League."

"Dick Vermeil's record speaks for itself," Peterson saidWednesday following NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue's ruling. "Ithink it was appropriate for a Super Bowl coach. This man has beensuccessful at everything he's ever done."

Vermeil, who retired after coaching the Rams to last year'sSuper Bowl title over Tennessee, said he, too, was pleased.

"I thought they made it fair. I feel good about it. I'm gladthe Rams got something," Vermeil said from his home in thePhiladelphia area. "They were good to me for three years. This isa way of paying something back to them."

Asked when the Chiefs would begin working out contractparticulars with Vermeil, Peterson said, "When does the next planefrom Philadelphia get in?"

Peterson and Vermeil Have Long History

Peterson and Vermeil were coaches together at UCLA more than twodecades ago. Their friendship deepened when Vermeil led the 1980Philadelphia Eagles to the Super Bowl while Peterson was directorof player personnel.

Peterson tried to talk his buddy out of retirement when he wasfirst put in charge of the Chiefs in 1989. He wound up with hissecond choice, Marty Schottenheimer.

Gunther Cunningham, after a 7-9 season, was left dangling for aweek until Peterson persuaded Vermeil to come back "to doing whathe loves."