By
The Associated Press
NEW YORK - Dick Vermeil will cost Kansas City two draft choices and $500,000 if the Chiefs hire the former St. Louis coach, NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue ruled last night.
If Vermeil signs with Kansas City, the Rams will be awarded the Chiefs' second-round pick in 2001 and Washington's third-round selection in 2002 - acquired from the Redskins as compensation for their recent signing of Marty Schottenheimer as coach.
The Chiefs also must reimburse the Rams the $500,000 paid to Vermeil during the past year.
Tagliabue conducted a two-hour hearing at NFL headquarters Tuesday at the Rams' request. Vermeil did not attend the hearing but submitted answers to written questions.
At issue was whether the coach, who took the Rams to a Super Bowl championship last January, was free to join Kansas City, which fired coach Gunther Cunningham after two seasons last week.
Vermeil announced his retirement from St. Louis last February with two years remaining on his contract, turning the head coaching job over to offensive coordinator Mike Martz. Vermeil then entered into a new four-year agreement with the Rams that terminated and superseded the 1997 contract.
Rams president John Shaw said when Vermeil left, the team gave him a $2 million bonus as a thank-you for the Super Bowl championship, but did not intend that as a payoff for the remainder of the contract.
