KANSAS CITY Khalen Saunders Jersey nfl draft , Mo. (AP) — Emmitt Thomas announced his retirement Tuesday as the defensive backs coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, ending an NFL career that began as a Hall of Fame player and wound up spanning five decades.Thomas spent 13 seasons playing for the Chiefs, helping the organization to a pair of Super Bowl appearances and their only championship in 1970. The two-time All-Pro retired in 1978 and began coaching at Central Missouri State before moving onto the pros with the St. Louis Cardinals.He helped the Redskins win a pair of Super Bowls, and also worked for the Eagles, Packers, Vikings and Falcons, before returning to Kansas City in 2010. He’s been the Chiefs’ secondary coach ever since, first under Todd Haley and retained by Romeo Crennel and current coach Andy Reid.“My journey started in Kansas City, and by the grace of God I am able to end my NFL career here as well,” said Thomas, who was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008. “It has been a privilege to work alongside the great coaches that have come through this building. Having the opportunity to coach so many talented young men in my time as a coach has been one of my greatest gifts.”Thomas joined the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent out of tiny Bishop College in 1966, just four years after the organization moved from Dallas to Kansas City. He helped the Chiefs reach the first Super Bowl as a rookie Eric Murray Jersey , losing to the Green Bay, before returning three years later.He had nine interceptions that season, including one in their Super Bowl triumph over Minnesota.Thomas continued to be a productive player until his retirement, then became a sought-after coach for defensive backs. He spent four years with the Cardinals, eight more with the Redskins and three with the Eagles before serving as defensive coordinator of the Packers.After a stint as defensive coordinator of the Vikings, he joined the Falcons coaching staff, where he got his only taste as a head coach. It was Thomas who was appointed interim coach after Bobby Petrino’s sudden retirement in 2007, and he rallied a broken locker room to a season-ending win over Seattle.He was retained by new Falcons coach Mike Smith the following year, then joined the Chiefs in 2010, a move that allowed him to bookend a playing and coaching career spanning 51 years.“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,” Chiefs owner Clark Hunt said. “Emmitt will always be a part of our Chiefs family.”The 75-year-old Thomas’ retirement had been expected after the Chiefs Kendall Fuller Jersey , who lost in overtime to the Patriots in the AFC championship game, fired longtime defensive coordinator Bob Sutton.Steve Spagnuolo has been hired to handle the defense and is bringing in many of his own assistants.“It was an honor to have Emmitt on our coaching staff,” Reid said. “Having a Pro Football Hall of Famer lead that room and share his experiences as a player and a coach has been incredible for our guys. Beyond football, he’s a tremendous person, and I’ve enjoyed working with him and getting to know him.” KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Chiefs coach Andy Reid delivered some promising news Wednesday when he rattled off the list of players who wouldn’t be practicing for this weekend’s trip to Seattle and running back Spencer Ware and offensive lineman Cam Erving were missing.Then he mentioned right tackle Mitchell Schwartz.“You mean Cam Erving, right?” Reid was asked.“No, Mitchell,” he replied.Well, so much for a promising injury report.Reid indicated the Chiefs’ stalwart right tackle hurt his knee in last week’s fourth-quarter collapse against the Chargers, which prevented the Chiefs from clinching the AFC West and the AFC’s top seed, but also put even more pressure on the team in Sunday night’s game against the Seahawks.Reid did say Schwartz was “making progress” and could play against Seattle.“I mean Sammy Watkins Jersey , to me, he’s one of, if not the best right tackle in the league,” Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said of Schwartz, who was voted a Pro Bowl alternate this week. “He’s had a ton of success for a long time. It was disappointing him not making it (as a starter).”Reid also said Kendall Fuller could play against the Seahawks, even though the Chiefs’ top cover cornerback played through a fractured hand against the Chargers. Fuller had a minor procedure to fix the damage and was wearing a soft cast around his right wrist in the locker room Wednesday.Wide receiver Sammy Watkins also remained out as the Chiefs resumed workouts in earnest for the first time in a week, though Kelvin Benjamin continues to take on a bigger role in the offense.The biggest help on that side of the ball might be the return of Ware and Erving.Ware hurt his shoulder and hamstring a couple of weeks ago against Baltimore, and he was inactive for the game against the Chargers. Combine that with the release of Kareem Hunt earlier this season and the Chiefs were down to journeyman Damien Williams, Darrel Williams and Charcandrick West.Damien Williams wound up flashing the most promise, running for 49 yards and two touchdowns while showing some ability in the passing game.In fact, he performed so well that Reid indicated he would likely share some of the load with Ware, who had been the Chiefs’ clear-cut No. 1.“I mean Anthony Hitchens Jersey , will it be equal? I don’t know about that. We’ll just see how it all shakes down,” Reid said. “Again, I told the guys if they’re available, we’ll find a way to use you the best we can, so be ready and alert for it. We’ll see how it all shakes out there.”The return of Erving helps to solidify an offensive line that has managed to weather injuries to just about everyone. Mitch Morse missed time with a concussion before returning to his center job, and right guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif remains on injured reserve with a broken leg.Now, Schwartz is being held out of practice with a knee injury.The injury outlook is a little rosier on defense, even with Fuller’s status for the Seahawks in question. Strong safety Eric Berry came out of his season debut against the Chargers in good shape, and 10 days between games means it’s possible he could play the entire way Sunday night.The defense struggled against Los Angeles in the second half, when Berry went to the bench as planned. And he was sorely missing as the Chargers rallied for two late TDs and the win.“We’ll see how that goes. He’ll continue to increase time and we’ll see how that disperses out there and what the plan will be for this coming week,” Reid said. “The positive was that he came out feeling good. He was sore. He hadn’t played in a long time.”NOTES: The Chiefs had six players voted to the Pro Bowl this week: Mahomes, TE Travis Kelce Mitchell Schwartz Jersey , FB Anthony Sherman, WR Tyreek Hill, LB Dee Ford and LT Eric Fisher. “Huge honor,” said Fisher, a former No. 1 overall draft pick, who will be going for the first time. “I got Mom and Grandma in town and they were all excited. You get the texts, the phone calls from the people that have been behind you from Day One. It’s a dream come true.” … Schwartz wasn’t the only Pro Bowl snub. DE Chris Jones did not make the team, though he was listed as an alternate. “They’re both great football players,” Sherman said, “and if we could have voted for our own guys, we would have.”100<button class="view-gallery">View Gallery</button> Gallery:View from the sidelines: NFL cheerleaders 2018Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports | Raj Mehta