Pledge for Dick Vermeil to stay as Head Coach of the Chiefs

Dear Coach Vermeil,

We the undersigned, die-hard fans of the Kansas City Chiefs, hereby express our sincere gratitude for your efforts in overseeing the rebuilding of a Chiefs team we are all proud of, and wish to ask you to stay on as the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs beyond your current contract term. As the coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, you have brought back the excitement to the once vaunted Arrowhead stadium, and have re-ignited the passions of Chiefs fans who were left confused and dismayed in the wake of the abrupt departure of Marty and the subsequent disarray that followed.

You rebuilt a team, which was left without direction or identity, through your vision and unmatched sagacity. Your knowledge of the game and the unwavering belief in the players and coaches you assembled has essentially changed the face of a once struggling organization. With your keen analytical observations you have slowly, piece by piece, assembled a juggernaut that can give any other powerhouse in the league a run for their money on any given Sunday. The aspects of the team that once were a weak link are now its very strengths because of your meticulous problem solving and tireless hard work.

However, more than all the talent, the exciting playmakers, the breathtaking performers that you have brought to the Chiefs, what is really commendable is the fact that you have done so with men of character. You have brought together young men who can not only look indomitable on the field; they are also graceful off it. The Kansas City Chiefs are made up of not just talented athletes, but also citizens that have endeared themselves to the community. You have laid down a foundation of not just a tenacious football team but a closely knit family of quality individuals that we as Chiefs fans are truly proud of for reasons that go beyond game day. For that we are grateful.

Perhaps more important than the above reasons for this petition might be that your tenure as the Chiefs coach has benefited not only the players around you, but those who have followed the team while you have guided it out of the dysphoria of the last few years. Your insights on the game and life in general have given pointers on subjects away from the sports field. Your emphasis on chemistry and how to treat people can be parlayed by any manager into their organization in the business world. Countless people have commented on how you have inspired them to adopt your concepts about family, character, honesty, respect and hard work in their own lives. You have shown through your undaunted support for the underdog that if you truly believe in someone, you can sometimes inspire them to surpass even their own expectations. You have demonstrated over and over again that passion and emotion are the secret weapons that can sometimes overcome seemingly insurmountable odds. Above all, youve shown by example that honesty is indeed the best policy and nice guys can and do finish first.

This petition is being filed for selfish reasons. We have seen the transformation of a mediocre team into a family of talented individuals that can bring joy to thousands of fans across the nation. Of course we want that to last. However, our intentions arent completely selfish. Throughout your career, it has seemed that you walked away from the prize after putting in all the effort. You were either burnt out, or thought you were, and missed the joy of actually enjoying the fruits of your labor. Had you stayed with the Rams, you would have surely enjoyed the results of all the hard work you put in while rebuilding that powerhouse. You didnt, and as you have mentioned, that was a mistake. In all likelihood this might be your last tour of duty as an NFL head coach. We believe that you of all people deserve to enjoy and cherish the fruits of all this hard work. The Chiefs are now a Vermeil team. They have your stamp on them. If the Chiefs are what we all think they are, then we are on the verge of witnessing a pretty special team for the next few years. Of all the reasons that we would like you to stay, none would give us more pleasure than for you to truly enjoy this final product of quality individuals including the tireless coaching staff which you have catalyzed with your alchemy of football acumen.

In the end we acknowledge that while the final decision lies in your hands, it is our sincere hope that in the event that you may lean towards walking away this petition at least makes your decision to walk away a very difficult one. Your usual response to this question has been that it is not your decision, but rather the decision of Carl Peterson and Lamar Hunt. With all due respect, we reject that opinion as a product of your undue humility. With the way the Chiefs are humming, we all know that at the end of this season the decision to return will be yours to make. We sincerely hope that you make the decision to stay. We certainly understand that your family is a major factor and regardless of your decision, it will be respected by all. We just hope that Mrs. Vermeil has learned French words different from the ones she wanted to use when you accepted the Rams coaching job.

Coach Vermeil, whatever decision you make, and whatever the results of this promising season might end up being, we would like to extend our sincerest appreciation for delivering much more than just a good football team to the community. We want you to know that it has not gone unnoticed