Vermeil Relights His Fire

The burnout Dick Vermeil cited when he resigned from the Philadelphia Eagles after the 1982 season has apparently subsided.

The St. Louis Rams today will name Vermeil coach and president of football operations, giving him a five-year contract that will start at $1.6 million per year and finish at $2 million. A television show and other perks push the total value close to $10 million.

“It’s time to go back to work,” Vermeil said Monday night. “When I left coaching I left because I felt I had to. I’m going back because I have to.”

Vermeil, 60, replaces Rich Brooks, who was fired after going 7-9 and 6-10 in his two seasons as the Ram coach. The announcement will be made at a news conference in St. Louis.

“Essentially, I’ll be the coach and general manager.” Vermeil said. “It will all be defined at the news conference.”

Vermeil said he had turned down earlier overtures from the Rams, but when John Shaw, the club president, called him Saturday, his interest was piqued.

“I agreed to fly to St. Louis to meet with him on Sunday,” he said. “The offer they made me was so good I couldn’t turn it down.”

Said Shaw: “I have been trying to hire him for about five years. We called him about a month and a half ago, and he said there was no chance of him coming back, but things changed in the past four days.”

After Sunday’s meeting, Vermeil returned to his 180-acre ranch outside Philadelphia to discuss the situation with his wife Carol.

After sleeping on it Sunday night, he told Shaw of his decision Monday.

Vermeil said he hopes to have a staff put together quickly, possibly within two weeks. He is expected to hire Jerry Rhome as offensive coordinator, and because of a previous working relationship and high regard for the Rams’ John Becker, his power and responsibilities should increase.

Vermeil coached UCLA for two seasons, 1974-75, and the Eagles for seven, 1976-82.

Of his 14-year absence from coaching, Shaw said: “Obviously it was something that concerned me, but I was convinced what’s really changed are the things all around the game and not the game itself. He is someone who has analyzed the game for the past 14 years, and he believes that he is a better coach now than when he left because of that experience.”

Said Vermeil: “As a broadcaster, I was in some ways closer to the game than most coaches. I did pro football for CBS for five years and college football for ABC for nine, and I was always at a different practice field watching a different coach at work.”

Vermeil came close to returning to the Eagles in 1995 before contract talks with owner Jeff Lurie fell through.

“Jeff Lurie did me a favor,” Vermeil said. “Even though things didn’t work out, it made me realize I did want to go back to coaching. Before that, I always said I’d never go back.”

Monday’s news came as a surprise to ABC, although when the Rams called the network Monday asking for background information it became apparent what was going on.

“I’m going to miss broadcasting and all my friends at ABC, particularly Brent Musburger,” Vermeil said.

Said ABC spokesman Mark Mandel: “Dick has always been an outstanding commentator and an asset to ABC, and he is coming off his best year, particularly the Rose Bowl.”

Earlier Monday, Shaw had said he expected to hire former New Orleans Saint coach Jim Mora, the fifth man interviewed for the job.

Shaw also said he would still explore some “remote possibilities” that included one last stab at former San Francisco 49er coach George Seifert. Seifert turned down a reported five-year, $10 million offer last week.

Times staff writer T.J. Simers contributed to this story.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Dick Vermeil as Coach

The college and NFL records of Dick Vermeil, who will be officially named today as coach of the St. Louis Rams:

COLLEGE

*--*

Year School W L T .Pct 1974 UCLA 6 3 2 .636 1975 UCLA 9 2 1 .792 Totals 15 5 3 .717

*--*

NFL

*--*

Year Team W L T .Pct 1976 Philadelphia 4 10 0 .286 1977 Philadelphia 5 9 0 .357 1978* Philadelphia 9 7 0 .563 1979* Philadelphia 11 5 0 .688 1980** Philadelphia 12 4 0 .750 1981* Philadelphia 10 6 0 .625 1982 Philadelphia 3 6 0 .333 Reg. Season 54 47 0 .571 Postseason 3 4 .429

*--*

*--made playoffs

**--made Super Bowl