Vermeil agrees to two-year contract extension with Chiefs

It's official. Dick Vermeil isn't leaving the Kansas City Chiefs.

SportsLine.com has learned that Vermeil and the Chiefs have agreed in principal to a two-year contract extension Wednesday. The deal has not yet been signed.

The Chiefs head coach announced before his team's 38-31 playoff loss to the Indianapolis Colts that he would be returning, ending the mystery of his future.

The contract extension keeps will give Vermeil a similar tenure in Kansas City as his boss, team president Carl Peterson, whose contract runs two more years.

The Chiefs were eager to get the contract finalized so they can be assured of their stability as they move into the offseason. They also plan to lock up offensive coordinator Al Saunders to a deal that would make him the highest-paid offensive coordinator in the league.

Regarding their vacancy at defensive coordinator, the team contacted former Chiefs head coach Gunther Cunningham, who was in New York interviewing with the Jets on Wednesday, and have other notable former NFL head coaches, Dave McGinnis and Dick Jauron, as potential successors to the recently departed Greg Robinson, who resigned Tuesday.

It is unclear when the team will announce Vermeil's extension. Financial terms were not disclosed.