Kansas City to retire Emmitt Thomas' number
Falcons assistant head coach will be inducted to Hall of Fame next month

By STEVE WYCHE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/30/08

Falcons assistant head coach Emmitt Thomas will have his No. 18 jersey number retired by the Kansas City Chiefs to honor his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Thomas, who will enter the Hall of Fame Aug. 2, will be the ninth Chiefs player to have his number retired by the franchise.

Kansas City will honor Thomas in a special ceremony when it hosts the Tennessee Titans Oct. 19. That is Atlanta's bye week.

Thomas played cornerback for the Chiefs from 1966-1978, where he recorded 58 interceptions, still a franchise record.

After his playing days, he's spent the past 28 seasons coaching in the NFL, the past seven seasons with the Falcons. He was named interim head coach for the final four games of 2007 when Bobby Petrino resigned to accept the coaching vacancy at the University of Arkansas.

Thomas, a longtime secondary coach and defensive coordintor, was named assistant head coach by new head coach Mike Smith in January.