Chiefs secondary coach Thomas retires

Kansas City Chiefs defensive backs coach Emmitt Thomas, who also enjoyed a Hall of Fame playing career with the team, retired Tuesday after 51 years of involvement in the NFL. Thomas, 75, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008 and the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 1986.

"On behalf of my family and the entire Chiefs organization, I want to congratulate Emmitt on his remarkable 51 years in the National Football League," Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said. "Over the course of a career that spans two leagues and most of the modern era of the NFL, Emmitt was a Hall of Fame player and one of the most respected coaches in the league. Emmitt will always be a part of our Chiefs family, and we wish him the best in retirement." Thomas played cornerback for 13 seasons with the Chiefs (1966-78) and finished with a franchise-record 58 interceptions. He played for both of Kansas City's Super Bowl teams (including the Super Bowl IV champions), and earned two Super Bowl rings as a member of Joe Gibbs' staff with the Washington Redskins, where he was an assistant coach from 1986-94.

"I have been blessed and honored to be a part of the NFL for the last 51 years," Thomas said. "My journey started in Kansas City, and by the grace of God I am able to end my NFL career here as well. "I would like to thank the Hunt family and the Chiefs organization for all that they have done for me in my special days here in Kansas City. It has been a privilege to work alongside the great coaches that have come through this building. ... I love Kansas City and this fan base and can't thank them enough for all the support they have given me in my time here as a player and a coach."

Thomas became the Chiefs' defensive backs coach in 2010. He also coached for the Atlanta Falcons (2002-09), where he served as interim head coach for the final three games in 2007, and as a defensive coordinator with the Philadelphia Eagles (1995-98), Green Bay Packers (1999) and the Minnesota Vikings (2000-01). He started his NFL coaching career with the then-St. Louis Rams as an assistant from 1981-85 following a two-year stint on the staff of Central Missouri State.

--Field Level Media